7/26/2019 The Council Guides and Regulates the Health Professions in the Country in Aspects Pertaining To

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-council-guides-and-regulates-the-health-professions-in-the-country-in-aspects 1/2

 The Council guides and regulates the health professions in the country in aspects pertainingto registration, education and training, professional conduct and ethical behaviour, ensuringcontinuing professional development, and fostering compliance with healthcare standards. Allindividuals who practise any of the health care professions incorporated in the scope of the HPCSA areobliged by the Health Professions Act No. 56 of 1974  to register with the Council. Failure to do soconstitutes a criminal oence.

Registration with HPCSA oers the health care practitioner,

bene!ts such as"

• Conferral of professional status to the practitioner, inclusive of the right to practise the

profession that he#she is $uali!ed for,

•  The assurance that no un$uali!ed person may practise these professions, and

• Credibility as a competent practitioner who may command a reward for his#her services.

In short, if you want better pathology, you need better people and better rules

What is the Health Professions Council The HPCSA is a statutory body, which is guided by a formal regulatory framewor% and this includes ourfounding Act, the Health Professions Act 56 of 1974. This Act governs all our activities, clearlyde!nes the scope of each profession which it mandates to register with HPCSA, and sets clearprocesses to be followed by HPCSA in achieving our statutory mandate.

&e regulate health professionals in South Africa and we are set up to protect the public. &e onlyregister professionals who meet our standards for their training, professional s%ills and behaviour. &ethus have the power to institute disciplinary proceedings regarding any complaint, charge or allegationof unprofessional conduct against any person registered with Council. 'f a registered practitioner

transgresses the rules as laid down by the (oard, the practitioner will be sub)ected to a disciplinaryprocess in terms of the regulations. &e can also prosecute those who pretend to be registered.

!o protect the pu"lic# $e• set standards for registrants* education and training, professional s%ills, conduct,

performance and ethics+

• %eep a register of professionals who meet those standards+

• approve programmes which professionals must complete to register with us+ and

• ta%e action when professionals on our egister do not meet our standards. This means that professionals registered with us are sincere and meet national standards. This oers

you protection if professionals fail to meet these standards. -ou can also chec% with us that a

professional is registered

!he co%plaints process• &ithin seven /0 days of receiving your complaint, the egistrar forwards your complaint to

the healthcare professional concerned and re$uests a written e1planation from him#her. 2ote

that the healthcare professional may refuse or be advised not to provide an e1planation, as

an e1planation may be used as evidence later.0

7/26/2019 The Council Guides and Regulates the Health Professions in the Country in Aspects Pertaining To

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-council-guides-and-regulates-the-health-professions-in-the-country-in-aspects 2/2

•  -our letter of complaint together with the healthcare professional3s e1planation if submitted0

is referred to the Professional (oard concerned for consideration.

• Should the (oard decide that there are grounds for complaint, a Professional Conduct

Committee will hold a professional conduct en$uiry, during which oral evidence is presented,

often including independent, e1pert witnesses. 2ote" Professional conduct en$uiries are

open to the public and the media, unless closed at the discretion of the chairperson.0

• Should the professional conduct en$uiry !nd the healthcare professional guilty of misconduct,

the committee3s decision is !nal, unless either party lodges an appeal.

• A healthcare professional found guilty of professional misconduct may be sub)ect to the

following penalties"

• A caution or a reprimand or both+

• A !ne+

• Suspension for a speci!ed period from practising his#her profession+

• emoval of his#her name from the relevant register+

• A compulsory period of professional service+ or

• Payment of the costs of the proceedings..