Publications
HST provides free electronic access to over 500 health systems research related reports, publications and papers. Close to 300 of these are publications that have been commissioned and funded by the Trust. Topics include among others district systems development, drug supply management, human resource development, informatics, legislation, finance, environmental health, mental health, lessons learnt, nutrition and sexually transmitted diseases / HIV/AIDS. The main publication of the HST is the annual South African Health Review. From 2005 all HST publications will be available in low resolution only. To explore the range of publications HST offers use the Advanced search to search using a variety of criteria.

The 20th Century has seen the professionalisation of health occupations, the establishment of regulatory councils and professional associations, the founding of training schools for an increasingly diverse set of health professions, increasing numbers of professionals,the unionisation of workers and the advent of a very enlightened and legislated labour environment.

There is still however wasteful utilisation and inequitable composition, development and distribution of human resources in health.

There has been a growing emphasis on curative and high-tech health care, accompanied by hospital-based and doctor-centred services, creating a supply of health personnel not appropriately equipped for preventive and promotive care.

Racial segregation, fragmented services and separate facilities and the different homelands divided human resources and lead to differential and exclusive training and development.

Separate private and public sectors and the urban/rural divide worsened the disparities in the distribution of personnel in health, in favour of the private sector and urban areas.

Recent developments in labour relations also posed serious challenges to the bureaucratic and organisational culture of the public health sector.