Stuart Whittaker
Academic qualifications
BSc., UED, MB ChB., (1980), FFCH (CM) SA (1987), MMed (1987), MD*
*Doctorate in Medicine, which is the equivalent of a PhD degree. The thesis included epidemiological and quality assurance methodologies.
Tertiary Education Details
Title of Doctoral Thesis:
The Quality Of Care In Homes For The Aged In The South West Cape Region As Measured By Tracer Methodology And Recommendation For Improving, Surveying And Monitoring Medical, Nursing And Psychosocial Rendering.
Titles of dissertations submitted and accepted for the MMed and fellowship examinations in Community Health:
Alcohol and the injured driver presenting at Groote Schuur Hospital
An investigation into the outbreak of amoebiasis in the Philippi farming area near Cape Town
A study of the nutritional state of Philippi farm children and their mothers.
Academic distinctions
1987Awarded the Lawrie and Flossie Adler Community Health Prize for the best dissertation by a registrar in community health among the seven South African universities which had departments of community health during 1987.This was in fulfillment of the requirements of the FFCH or MMed degree for the study, ‘The NutritionalState of Philippi Farm Children and Their Mothers’.
Professional and Teaching Experience
2012-Visiting Professor at the School of Public Health and Medicine at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town
2007- Extraordinary Professor in the School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria.
2006- 2007Honorary Adjunct Professor in the School of Pathology: Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Witwatersrand University
2002-2005Honorary Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health, School of Family and Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal, Durban
1995--Founder and Managing Director of the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa
1992Senior Specialist/Senior Lecturer and Head of the Health Management and Administration Unit, Department of Community Health, University of Stellenbosch
1987Deputy-Director of Health Service, Department of Health in the Western Cape
1984Department of Community Health, Medical School, University of Cape Town
1983General Practice
1982Senior Medical Officer, Trauma Unit, Groote Schuur
1981Intern at Groote Schuur Hospital.
Research Experience
2006 -Established the Research and Informatics Department at the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa.
1995 -Director of Research at the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa. Research into adverse event monitoring systems, injection safety, the impact of accreditation on South African hospitals, cost-benefit analysis of accreditation and the impact of HIV on hospital staff.
1991Under-graduate and post-graduate research training of medical students, doctors and paramedic professionals. Participation in various research projects as Head of Health Services Management Unit at Stellenbosch University.
1987Doctoral research while Deputy-Director of Health Service, Department of Health into the nutritional state of Philippi children.
1984Research as a registrar while employed by the Department of Community Health at the University of Cape Town (the role of alcohol in MVA; use of cytotoxic medication in a large teaching hospital).
Research Projects
2009Core group member of the “Making Existing Technologies Safer” research group for the World Alliance for Patient Safety and Imperial College Technology for Patient Safety.
2008-Academic Supervisor of research in the Free State province of South Africa, under the auspices of the University of Pretoria, to determine whether an inverse relationship exists between the reporting of adverse events in a “just culture” environment and quality improvement interventions.
2007- Principal Investigator for a World Health Organisation (WHO) collaborative research project to administer a prospective incident monitoring, reporting and response system to determine the frequency and nature of adverse events associated with HIV patients and measure responses to beneficial interventions in a hospital in the Western Cape.
2007Principal Investigator, African Region for The Performance of hospitals undergoing changing socioeconomic conditions: A global study on hospital sector reform World Health Organisation publication 2007.
2006Principal Investigator for Making Medical Injections Safety Public Hospital Assessment Project to examine injection safety in 159 public sector hospitals with the John Snow Research and Training Group of the United States, the National Department of Health and the South African Medical Research Council.
2006Principal Investigator for WHO-sponsored research to determine the incidence of adverse events in two Western Cape hospitals using a retrospective review of medical records methodology.
2005-Principal investigator in a collaborative research project (ongoing) with the South African National Department of Health, the University of the Witwatersrand and others to determine the existence or otherwise of a correlation between increased levels of standards compliance and rates of nosocomial infections in South African healthcare facilities.
2005Principal Investigator - in association with the National Department of Health – in a research project to develop a comprehensive care accreditation tool for antiretroviral therapy (ART) sites[1]. This tool measures ART site readiness to meet the targets for ARV provision set by the National Government[2], as well as the international requirements set by the World Health Organisation according to its “3 by 5” initiative[3].
2004/5Principal Investigator for research sponsored by the German Society for Technical Co-operation – Die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH to develop an evaluative framework of organisational standards and indicators for measuring the performance of health facilities in a district that manages HIV patients according to national and international norms and standards. Known as the HIV and AIDS District Evaluation Tool (HIV-DET), the research brief was to design and deliver a quality improvement programme specific to a district HIV disease management programme (DMP) across a representative group of facilities to assist health providers to improve the quality of HIV-related services. Report on the HIV-DET available at
2003Principal Commentary on the Impact of Accreditation on the Quality of Hospital care: KwaZulu–Natal Province, South Africa, Quality Assurance Project, USA.
2002The impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on hospital services in South Africa: Responses, coping strategies and behaviour of management and health professionals. A report for the World Health Organisation in collaboration with the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine at the University of Natal and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health.
2001Principal Investigator for African Region for the World Health Organisation and International Hospital Federation Collaborative Project Hospitals within Healthcare Systems: Their Capacity to Meet the Needs of Populations, Africa Region.
2001 -Principal Investigator for the World Health Organisation research report Assessing the Cost and Effectiveness of Hospital Accreditation in Two Developing Countries: A Preliminary Investigation.
1998-2000 South African Accreditation Impact Research (Chairman of the Steering Committee) jointly conducted by the Medical Research Council and the University Research Corporation of the United States.
1992-4The Quality of care in homes for the aged in the South West Cape (Human Science Research Council/University of Cape Town Centre for Gerontology).
1991-2 The “Podder” research project on alcohol and the injured driver at Groote Schuur Hospital Trauma Unit. (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Number DPVT/170).
1986 -7The nutritional state of Philippi farm children and their mothers awarded the Lawrie and Flossie Adler Community Health Prize for the best dissertation by a registrar in Community Health among seven South African universities.
1984The use of cytotoxic medication in a large teaching hospital (Research project for registrar training in Department of Community Health, Medical School, University of Cape Town).
Service to institutions and professional Bodies
2013Appointed to serve on the Board of Directors for the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) of the National Department of Health (NDOH) in South Africa.
2013Appointed to serve on the Board of Directors for the Regional Centre for Quality in Health Care (RCQHC) in Kampala, Uganda to advance quality assurance in Africa.
2012-2014Appointed to the Board Advisory Committee (BAC) of ISQua which directs international accreditation around the world.
2012Appointed an ISQua Expert to provide advice, guidance and input into ISQua programmes.
2011Member of committee to help scope the shape and functions of the Office of Standards Compliance for the National Department of Health in South Africa.
2011Member of expert panel to review the application of the National Core Standards as a regulatory tool by the Office of Standards Compliance for the National Department of Health in South Africa
2010Member of the International Accreditation Council of International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua).
2008/9Co- Chair of the working group “Making Existing Technologies Safer” and a member of the core group of experts of the Technology for Patient Safety initiative of the World Health Organisation’s World Alliance for Patient Safety.
2007-2010Member of the Programme Reference Panel for the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Health Care (previously the European Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care)
2007Member of the Advisory Board of the co-editors-in-chief of Building Quality in Health Services (BQHS) Journal of the International Hospital Federation
2007-2009Re-appointed for a further term as member of the Editorial Committee of the International Journal for Quality in Health Care
2006Inaugural Member of the International Steering Committee for the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of the United States
2006Member of the core Technical Group for the World Health Organisation’s report to member countries on Quality of Care – A process for making strategic choices in health systems
2006Chair of Commission appointed by the Mpumalanga Province on developing high-level resolutions to improve the quality of health service delivery in that Province at the Health Summit of the Mpumalanga Provincial Government Department of Health and Social Services
2005Participant in World Health Organization meeting in Cairo (research results reported in September 2006) as part of a broader initiative of the WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety to discuss the development of a retrospective adverse events monitoring system using patient records
2005Temporary consultant to the World Health Organisation on a project to choose Quality Approaches in Health Systems
2004Member of the Task Force on Health Technology in the World Health Organisation’s Regional Office for Africa
2004Expert reviewer for the World Health Organisation’s Guidelines on Patient Safety - Learning and Reporting Systems for adverse events and "near misses”
2003Member of the Research and Development Working Group of the International Alliance for Patient Safety for the World Health Organisation
2003Member of the Quality of Care Working Group of the International Treatment Access Coalition (ITAC) aligned with the goals of the Declaration of Commitment of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS to improve access to treatment
2003South African representative at meeting of International Scientific Committee for international congress on “Health Care and Quality”
2002Temporary advisor at preparatory meeting convened by the World Health Organisation on the impact of accreditation of health services on a national health system
2002South African representative at World Health Organisation for a summit on “Consultation on Patient Safety: Rapid Assessment Methods for Estimating Hazards”
2002-Member of the Editorial Committee of the International Journal for Quality in Health Care
2001-Member of the ALPHA Council of the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQUA)
2001-Member of the Standards Subcommittee of the Accreditation Committee of the Joint Commission International
2001-Member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care Indicator Steering Committee
2001External Consultant to the World Bank on health systems performance and quality
2001Member of the Isqua/Alpha International Standards Assessment Team, Australian Council on Healthcare Standards
2000-Member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care/Alpha International Accreditation Survey Team, Healthcare Quality Service, UK
1999-Member of the Accreditation Federation Council of the International Society of Quality in Health Care.
1999Board member of the Board of Health Executives
1998-Board member of the South African Quality Institute
1998-1999Member of the International Principles Review Panel of the International Society of Quality in Health Care
1998Member of the International Accreditation Principles and Standards Development Task Force of Joint Commission Resources, Africa Region.
1995-1998Member of the Executive Committee of College of Medicine of South Africa
1997Member of National Quality Assurance Working Group appointed by Department of Health in South Africa to develop a draft policy on Quality Assurance
1997Member of National Technical Working Group appointed by Department of Health, South Africa, to develop a framework for norms and standards for quality assurance
1995-1998Member of the Council of the College of Medicine of South Africa
1995- 1998Honorary Treasurer of the College of Medicine of South Africa
1995- 1998Trustee of the Foundation of the College of Medicine of South Africa
1995-1999Vice Chairman of the Advisory Council of the International Society of Quality in Health Care
1995-Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa
1995-Board Member of the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa
1995Member of the Executive Committee of the South African Society for Quality in Health Care
1995Member of the Component Systems, Standards, Systems Availability, and Health Objectives and Indicators sub-committees of the National Health Information System of South Africa Committee
1994Chairman of the “Development of Training in the Field of Informatics Task Group” working towards a National Health Information system for SA
1994Member of the “Data Standard Development Task Group” working towards a National Health Information System for South Africa
1993Head of South African Delegation sent to the United Kingdom and Europe to investigate quality assurance and informatics programmes
1993-98Member of the Committee of the Faculty of Community Health of the College of Medicine of South Africa
1992-98Member of the Executive Committee of the College of Public Health Medicine of the College of Medicine of South Africa
1992Convener of Project Team of the Health Management Sub-committee of the Health Matters Advisory Council to investigate the formulation of a Minimal Data Set to assist departments of health in strategic planning
1992Member of the National Diagnosis and Procedural Coding Standardisation Work Group
1992-1994Chairman of the TB Alliance Steering Committee of the Western Cape
1992-1995Member of the Curriculum Committee of the proposed School of Public Health of the Western Cape
1992-1996Member of the Steering Committee appointed by the Department of National Health and Population Development to establish the Quality Assurance Association for Health Care in South Africa.
1992-1995Project Director of the Pilot Accreditation Programme for Hospitals in South Africa
1990-1992Member of the Health Management Information sub-committee of the Health Matters Advisory Council
1987-1989Branch Councillor and member of the Executive Council of the Cape Western Branch of the Medical Association of South Africa (now SAMA)
1989- 1999Chairman of the South West Cape Regional Group of the Community Health Association of Southern Africa
1989-1999Member of the National Council of the Community Health Association of Southern Africa.
Publications
2013Charles D. Shaw, Jeffrey Braithwaite, Max Moldovan, Wendy Nicklin, Ileana Grgic, Triona Fortune, Stuart Whittaker: Profiling health-care accreditation organizations: an international surveyin International Journal for Quality in Health Care 2013: doi: 10.1093/intqhc/mzt01
2012R M Wilson, P Michel, S Olsen, R W Gibberd, C Vincent, R El-Assady, O Rasslan, S Qsous, W M Macharia, A Sahel, S Whittaker, M Abdo-Ali, M Letaief, N A Ahmed, A Abdellatif, I Larizgoitia, for the WHO Patient Safety EMRO/AFRO Working group: 1. Patient safety in developing countries: retrospective estimation of scale and nature of harm to patients in hospitalin British Medical Journal 2012: 334 doi
2012Jeffrey Braithwaite,*, Charles D. Shaw, Max Moldovan, David Greenfield, Reece Hinchcliff, Virginia Mumford, Marie Brunn Kristensen, Johanna Westbrook, Wendy Nicklin, Triona Fortune and Stuart Whittaker: Comparison of health service accreditation programs in low- and middle-income countries with those in higher income countries: a cross study in International Journal for Quality in Health Care 2012 pp. 1-10
2012Linegar A, Whittaker S, van Zyl G: The Role of Academic Hospital Accreditation in Strengthening Post Graduate Training Programmes: Case Study Universitas Academic Hospital in the South African Medical Journal inMarch 2012, Vol. 102, No. 3 SAMJ
2010Richard C Newton, Oliver T Mytton, Rajesh Aggarwal, William B Runciman, Michael Free, Bjorn Fahlgren, Masanori Akiyama, Barbara Farlow, Sara Yaron, Gerard Locke, Stuart Whittaker: Making Existing Technology Safer in Health CareinQuality and Safety in Health Care of the BMJ 2010;19:i15-i24 doi:10.1136/qshc.2009.038539.
2009Sunol R,Nicklin W, Bruneau C, Whittaker S:Promotingresearchintohealthcare accreditation/external evaluation: Advancing an ISQua initiativein International Journal for Quality in Health Care, Vol 21 Issue 1 Feb 2009
2007Whittaker, S Medical Error: Transforming the Culture of Blame in Hospital Association of South Africa’s Health Annals, pp. 44-47 2007.
2006Whittaker S, Mulumba R, Lombard C, Rogers-Bloch Q, Keegan M, National Injection Safety Survey of South Africa 2006 published by the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa for the Making Medical Injections Safer Project (in print).
2003Whittaker S, Muller M, Keegan M: “The Impact of Accreditation on the Quality of Hospital Care, KwaZulu-Natal Province, Republic of South Africa” – (Commentary), Quality Assurance Project. Operations Research Results, October 2003.
2002Jinabhai CC, Whittaker et al: “The Impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on Hospital Services in South Africa: Responses, Coping Strategy and Behaviour of Management and Health Professionals” – report produced for the World Health Organisation by the School of Family and Public Health, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of Natal and the Councilfor Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa, with the assistance of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health.
2001Whittaker S, “Facilitating Accreditation: The South African Experience” – QA Brief, Volume 9, No. 1 Spring 2001, pp. 21-24.
2000Whittaker S, Green-Thompson R, McCusker I, Nyembezi B – “Status of a health care quality review programme in South Africa” – International Journal for Quality in Health Care 2000 Volume 12, Number 3: pp 247-250.
1998Whittake Whittaker S, Derrick B, Vicki D & Lynam PF. Country Report, Introducing Quality assurance to Health Service delivery-Some Approaches from South Africa, Ghana & Kenya. Int J Quality in Health Care, 1998, volume 10 pp263-267.