I benefited initially from one-to-one supervision and an intensive programme that included therapeutic care, education, sporting and outdoor activities, and encouragement to read and take an interest in current affairs.
The registration system then formed the basis of a comprehensive quality assurance programme that included supervision of counselling and testing, continuing education, laboratory-based testing using dried blood spots and inspection of sites.
These are health care providers with a Diploma in Medical Assistance, a 3-year medical training programme that allows independent or limited supervision in patient care provision.
The Gerson Therapy is allegedly a self-help treatment programme that can be administered at home, but aspects of it were too tall an order for me to follow without proper clinical supervision.
In addition to formal training through the National HIV/AIDS programme that involved physician-observed practicums, three nurses received training by doctors at each PHC facility, as well as ongoing supervision and mentorship, before they were allowed to consult patients independently [ 47].
One element of a successful staff-led supervision programme was to ensure that all supervisors and supervisees received external training in supervision [ 33, 34].
A six month clinical supervision programme was developed and implemented with twenty two rural nurses.
Yet the caregivers in this study did not participate in a training and supervision programme during working hours.
Supervision incorporates interventions primarily focussing on the delivery of a supervision programme or the implementation of a supervision strategy.
A randomized control trial of an enhanced supervision programme for eye care in three sub-Saharan African countries, including Tanzania, found only modest improvements in the skills and knowledge of health workers receiving enhanced supervision, with authors concluding that the lack of programme impact may be linked to poor health system functioning and high staff turnover [ 32].
