Recruitment Practices and Health Service Delivery in Local Governments of Uganda (A case of Mukono district)

Abstract

The general objective of the study was to investigate the influence of the recruitment practices on health service delivery in Uganda’s local governments while using a case study of Mukono District. The study was guided by the following objectives: To find out the influence of job profiling on health service delivery in Mukono District Local Government; to investigate the influence of candidate attraction methods on health service delivery in Mukono District Local Government and to find out the influence of selection processes on health service delivery in Mukono District Local Government. The literature reviewed particularly Parasuraman, Berry & Zeithaml (1994) which indicated that assurance, empathy, reliability, responsiveness and tangibility improve health service delivery and quality. The study adopted a case study design, with both qualitative and quantitative research approaches used. From a population of 340 respondents, 181 respondents were drawn and utilised as a sample. A 144 (79.6%) response rate was realised. The key findings obtained include; job profiling significantly influences health service delivery; candidate attraction methods significantly influence health service delivery in Mukono District Local government; the selection processes significantly influence health service delivery in Mukono District local government. The following are concluded notably; there are many other factors outside the recruitment practices that are reportedly influencing the health sector service delivery of Mukono district which include; greed, weak rewarding system, corruption, low salaries, poor accommodation, weakness in carrying out monitoring and evaluation of the health facilities, drug stock outs, personal characteristics and behaviour such as rudeness, absenteeism, under staffing and poor appraisal systems amongst others. Based on the earlier discussions, the following can be recommended; conducting background checks to fight fake documents and detect panellists’ biologically related candidates, adopting contract-based employment, conduct a thorough analysis on the best suitable candidate methods, increase on the frequency of the job adverts run, Payment of adequate incentives and allowances in addition to a strict vigorous standard monitoring of the panellists and recruitment processes.