Does identity shape leadership and management practice? Experiences of PHC facility managers in Cape Town, South Africa

In South Africa, as elsewhere, Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities are managed by professional nurses. Little is known about the dimensions and challenges of their job, or what influences their managerial practice. Drawing on leadership and organizational theory, this study explored what the job of being a PHC manager entails, and what factors influence their managerial practice. The experiences show that the PHC facility manager’s job is dominated by a range of tasks and procedures focused on clinical service management, but is expected to encompass action to address the population and public health needs of the surrounding community. The study identifies areas for training for nurses that might strengthen managerial practices

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Daire J, Gilson L. Does identity shape leadership and management practice? Experiences of PHC facility managers in Cape Town, South Africa. Health Policy and Planning. 2014;29(suppl 2):ii82-ii97. doi:10.1093/heapol/czu075