SERVICE QUALITY MEASUREMENT SYSTEM ENHANCES SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

By Precious Mupenzi

• The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) is spearheading the Service Quality Measurement (SQM) initiative to improve the quality of substance use treatment services nationwide, with a focus on accountability and patient-centred care.
• Integrated into the broader Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU), the SQM system collects patient-reported outcomes and quality of care data to monitor and enhance service delivery across treatment centres.
• Through strategic partnerships, including with the Department of Social Development and Kheth’Impilo, the initiative aims to strengthen substance misuse services in South Africa and support international reporting obligations on substance use trends.

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) is leading a new initiative to enhance the quality of substance use treatment services across the country. At a recent workshop held in Johannesburg, Jodilee Erasmus, a scientist from SAMRC, introduced participants to the Service Quality Measurement (SQM) system—a performance measurement tool specifically designed for South Africa’s substance use treatment services.

The SQM initiative is part of the larger Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU), established in 1996 by researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to monitor substance use trends in South Africa. Operated under the SAMRC, SACENDU has been a vital source of information on substance misuse in the country. The SQM project, Erasmus explained, aims to create a more accountable and person-centred approach to managing substance use disorders.

“This system gathers data on patient-reported outcomes and their perceived access to and quality of care during treatment,” said Erasmus. “By using three core forms—SACENDU, SAATSA, and Discharge—the SQM project generates key indicators on the quality of treatment services.”

Erasmus further emphasised that the goal of the SQM initiative is to enhance the quality of substance misuse services in South Africa through the routine collection and use of service quality data. She highlighted that the system is designed to assess treatment outcomes based on patient feedback, helping to ensure that services remain accessible and effective.

Initially launched in the Western Cape, the system expanded nationally in 2022 through a partnership with Kheth’Impilo, a healthcare organisation funded by the Department of Social Development and the South African National Council on Alcoholism (SANCA). Erasmus noted that collaboration with the Department of Social Development is critical to the system’s success. “This partnership allows for the effective implementation of the SQM system across treatment centres nationwide,” she said.

Ms. Vathiswa Dlangamandla, Social Work Policy Manager at the Department of Social Development, applauded the collaboration between the department and SAMRC. She explained that treatment centres across the country are now participating in the SQM system and contributing data through SACENDU. “Through this collaboration, the Department of Social Development can also contribute to regional and international reporting efforts,” said Dlangamandla. “We populate the African Union’s Pan African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (PAENDU) annual questionnaire, as well as the Annual Reporting Questionnaire (ARQ) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), since South Africa, as a member state, is obligated to report annually on substance use trends and treatment outcomes.”

The Johannesburg workshop also featured expert insights into the Drug Use Disorder Treatment Service Quality Measures in South Africa. Participants engaged in group discussions, sharing knowledge and experiences related to substance misuse treatment, which contributed to a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in improving service quality.

With the national rollout of the SQM system, South Africa is making significant strides in offering better substance misuse treatment services, ensuring that care is both patient-centred and data-driven.