The South African Institute of Health Care Managers (SAIHCM) was founded in 2003 with the vision to enhance and promote high standards of professionalism in both the public and private sectors in South Africa. Within the realm of the stated vision the 3rd Annual Conference of SAIHCM seeks to explore 1) cultural diversity and the impact of women in leadership; and 2) human capital investment and its impact on service delivery.

Health Care leaders in the 21st Century need to be adept at managing people of different cultures. Leaders should be able to shape culture, draw on the strengths that different cultures have to offer and align them with the direction the organization is taking. Culture is complex and multifaceted. How do we lead under extreme diversity? How does Affirmative Action policy and Employment Equity legislation impact on service delivery?

At this conference participants will gain insight into the concepts of culture and ethical issues and their impacts on healthcare management and leadership, values, communication in organisations, expectations and performance. The importance of cultural sensitivity in health care leadership will be demonstrated to assist participants in developing strategies to effectively manage employees from different cultures.

In order for men and women to participate equally in decision making, women should access leadership positions in health care and build the capacity of those already appointed to act as key players in gender mainstreaming. This conference provides an opportunity for women in leadership to share successes, challenges and opportunities, and to network with peers within the industry. The focus is on outcomes that make positive impacts by women in leadership on the culture of the health industry.

The conference will explore links between training and development interventions to achieve organisational objectives. The focus will be on key management development programmes, the need to re-design programmes and on facilitating change and its impact in the workplace.

The health care sector needs courageous leaders, who are qualified and skilled. Organisations that send managers on management or leadership development programmes want to know whether they are making a smart investment. Delegates will explore organizational needs in terms of capacity building for gender mainstreaming to facilitate the development of a critical mass of women in leadership who can effect change in their organizations.

The development of leadership is a key element in the successful management of the health sector. However, little evidence, if any, is available on the relationship between management or leadership development programmes and organisational performance.

The intended impact of the Conference is aimed at getting feedback on evidence and considering new ideas and different ways of capacitating health care managers to ensure excellence and satisfactory return on investment. The conference will build on the success of the 1st and 2nd annual conferences.

The opening address will be provided by international expert Dr David N Abdulai from Malaysia, the newly appointed Executive Director of UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership. Other well known speakers will include Mr Bryan Carpenter from the NHS, UK, now based within the Lesotho Ministry of Health and Prof. Laetitia King from Aga Khan University in East Africa.