ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This literature review follows the early origins of the integration of psychological
services into Primary Health Care (PHC) to its promulgation by law under the new
dispensation in South Africa post-1994. With a recent re-commitment in 2008 by
government to PHC for health service delivery, the biomedical orientation of PHC is
inherently problematic as the location for psychological services and runs contrary to a
comprehensive discourse of care as envisioned locally and by the World Health
Organisation (WHO). With such shifts in policy at a macro level and in a context in
which the relevance of psychological theorising and praxis is under scrutiny, this review
has highlighted that a bottom-up approach is necessitated; specifically one that will
facilitate a convergence between policy, theory and practice, with its foundations
informed by research.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie literatuuroorsig begin by die vroeë beginpunt waar sielkundige dienste by
Primêre Gesondheidsorg (PHC) ingelyf is, en volg die gebeure tot waar nuwe wetgewing
hieroor in die nuwe post-1994-dispensasie in Suid-Afrika uitgevaardig is. Met die
regering wat homself in 2008 herverbind het tot PHC vir gesondheiddiensverskaffing is
die biomediese fokus van PHC vir sielkundige dienste inherent problematies, omdat dit in
teenstelling met omvattende diskoers oor versorging staan, soos dit plaaslik en deur die
Wêreldgesondheidsorgorganisasie (WHO) in die vooruitsig gestel word. Met
makrovlakverskuiwings in beleid en in konteks waarin die toepaslikheid van
teoretisering en praktyk op die gebied van die sielkunde onder die loep is, beklemtoon
hierdie verslag dit dat onder-na-bo-benadering nodig is; spesifiek een wat sameloping tussen beleid, teorie en praktyk sal fasiliteer, en wat gegrond is op navorsing.
