Exploring the role of HRM in the ministry of health’s decentralisation policy

According to Rigoli and Dussault (2003), HR in the health sectors are regarded as strategic actors and are not entirely involved in the delivery of health services. Morgan–Javis (2015) further maintains that in 2011 decentralisation was launched with a view to decentralise health services from the Ministry of Health (MOH) to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship Affairs (MOLGCA). There has been increased attention on the restructuring process of the health sector reform but little priority has been given as to how to decentralise key human resources functions. A guiding policy was developed and endorsed in 2014, but still excludes how these human resources functions are to be decentralised. Centralised human resources services is an impediment in the transformation process of improved health care services for the Basotho Nation (Morgan–Javis, 2015).Ulrich’s (1998) HR model formed the theoretical model of study.This study aimed to explore how the Human Resources (HR) functions support the decentralisation in the Ministry of Health. Data was collected through in-depth interviews. The sample consisted ofall eight (8) Directors from the Ministry of Health. These Directors were knowledgeable about phenomenon being studied. Thematic analysis was used to examine the main theme.The data collected through interviews emerged into different categories of themes from the interview data set such as Conceptualising decentralisation, HR’s role, Employee buy-in and Decentralisation and implementatio