The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 global pandemic on 11th March 2020. The Referral Policy for South African Health Services, including the supporting Referral Implementation Guidelines, has been developed to address the gaps identified in processing and facilitating timely referral of patients within the healthcare delivery
system. This policy strives to restore the dignity of the users of the South African healthcare system, without being punitive to users from impoverished and rural areas. This will serve as one more definitive step towards achieving the vision in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, have allowed us to rethink
the need for the referral policy that ties the health system together in order for ease of movement of patients between levels and types of facilities. The referral policy will be a tool to facilitate access to the quality patient care, and will be a necessary resource even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.