Professional Practice
Overview
The Professional Practice division of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is a unit mandated to largely guide and advise registered health practitioners on matters pertaining to professional practice. There are five main sub-portfolios under the division: business practices, practitioner’s impairment, scope of profession and practice, continuing professional development and ethics and human rights. The Division also provide administrative support to the relevant HPCSA’s governance structures on matters relating to the sub-portfolios mentioned above.
Overview
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme is a responsibility of every registered health practitioner. The programme is implemented under the legislative authority of section 26 of the Health Professions Act, 1974 (Act 56 of 1974). CPD is essentially the process of documenting and tracking the skills, knowledge and experience that are gained both formally and informally as health practitioners work beyond any initial training. Every CPD recognized as part of ordinary professional practice should be approved prior to delivery to be recognized for CEUs to be granted. Health Practitioners are advised that the total minimum required CEUs should be inclusive of those of professional content, ethics, human rights and medical law, as per CPD guidelines. Each CEU is currently valid for 24 months from the date on which the activity took place. This means that practitioners should aim to accumulate a balance of CEUs by the end of their second year of practice, and thereafter top-up on an ongoing basis.
Since October 2021, the HPCSA has slightly amended the process of submission of evidence of CPD submissions in effort to improve efficiency of the process. Important changes to the CPD programme relate to -
- Discontinuation of the sampling of health practitioners from the HPCSA’s database to verify compliance because that was ineffective and only covering up to 10% of registered practitioners instead ensuring compliance for all health practitioners on an ongoing basis.
- The introduction of online self-service platform the HPCSA’s website for all registered health practitioners to submit enquiries and/or upload the required evidence of CPD compliance (especially exceptional evidence not available through CPD providers, for example, when submitting certificate from international provider).
- The HPCSA approved that authorized facilitators and providers of CPD programmes submits the attendance registers directly to the HPCSA, or any evidence on behalf of the health practitioners, to update the practitioner’s CPD profile.
- The above has been effectively made it reality that HPCSA can monitor compliance as part of regular discussions for all health practitioners.
- Issuance of Continuing Education Unit (CEUs) certificates is no longer mandatory requirements, as the information is provided directly through the approved facilitators and providers of the CPD activities.
Guidelines
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CPD Guidelines |
Frequently Asked Questions
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CPD FAQ's |
Accreditors
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Application for recognition as an Accreditor - Form 4 |
CPD FORMS
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For Practitioners |
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For Accreditors/Accredited Service Providers |
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Application for Recognition as an Accreditor of CPD Activities |
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Application for Approval of CPD Activities |
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Application by Institutions or Associations for Accredited Service Provider Status |
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Service Providers
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Activity Programme and Presenter CV's - Form CPD 2-A |
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Application as an accredited Service Provider - Form CPD 2 |
Management of Impaired Practitioners and Students
The mandate of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in protecting the public and guiding the professions includes ensuring that healthcare practitioners are fit to practice their profession. As such, the health committee of the boards is established in terms of Section 15(5) of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974 (The Act) to regulate and/or advise healthcare practitioners who may be impaired. Impairment means a mental or physical condition or the abuse of or dependence on chemical substances, which affects the competence, attitude, judgment, or performance of a person registered in terms of the Act.
Functions
Establish policies and procedures and to enlist cooperation and support for the prevention or alleviation of circumstances which may lead to impairment in students and practitioners.- Establish mechanisms and procedures for the early identification of impairment in students and practitioners.
- Implement procedures for handling crisis situations which may threaten patient safety and care.
- Undertake informal assessments of reports on alleged impaired students and practitioners, to make findings with regard to impairment and , if required, to impose conditions of registration or practice on such persons aimed at protection of patients and treatment of impaired persons.
- Appoint investigation committees on an Ad Hoc basis to undertake formal investigations into reports on alleged impairment in the absence of voluntary cooperation of students or practitioners, to make findings with regard to impairment and, if required, to impose conditions of registration or practice aimed at protection of patients and treatment of impaired students or practitioners.
- Consider applications by students or practitioners who were found to be impaired to have their conditions of registration or practice amended or to have such conditions revoked.
- Oversee the implementation of treatment programmes of impaired students or practitioners and to review the position of each such student or practitioner at least every 3 years.
Regulations
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Regulations Relating to Impairment of Students and Practitioners
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Guidelines
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Guidelines related to a ‘Report by an Initial Assessor’
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Guidelines related to a ‘Report by a Therapist
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Guidelines related to a ‘Report by a Supervisor
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| Guidelines for independent assessor | View document |
| Guidelines for Rehabilitation | View document |
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Health Committee guidelines and guidelines for rehabilitation |
View document |
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Guidelines for rehabilitation for declared impaired practitioners and students |
View document |
| Processes of the Health Committee | View document |
| Reporting Template for Treating and Independent practitioner | View document |
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Frequently Asked Questions
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View document |
To report allegations, enquire or submit information relating to health impairment of registered health practitioner and students use email: BasaniM@hpcsa.co.za
| Reporting form | Download form |
Fitness to Practice
In terms of our mandate to guide the professions and protect the public, the HPCSA is responsible for ensuring that our practitioners are fit to practice and are not impaired due to any physical or mental ill health. The Health Committee is committed to the prevention, early identification, treatment and rehabilitation of impaired students and healthcare practitioners. For more information, please visit the Health Committee page.
National Strategy
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National Strategy for Managing Impairment in Students and Practitioners Registered with Council
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Ethics
Health professionals registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) have rights and privileges to practise health professions. Correspondingly, health practitioners have moral or ethical duties to others and to the society. These duties are generally in keeping with the principles of the South African Constitution, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996) and the obligations imposed on health practitioners by other laws.
Ethics, Human Rights and Health Law is an understanding of the bioethical principles that determine how health practitioners perform research and interact with patients/clients and society as described in Chapter 1 and 2 of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996). Health care delivery is a constantly advancing sector and with these advances, conflicts often arise within the arenas of politics, law, religion, philosophy, and economics. An understanding of bioethics helps health practitioners to recognise, admit and sometimes resolve these conflicts.
Ethical Rules of conduct:
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Ethical rules of conduct for registered health practitioners |
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Ethical guidelines for good practice in the health care professions:
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Booklet 1: General ethical guidelines for health care professions
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View document |
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Booklet 3: National Patients' Rights Charter
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View document
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Booklet 4: Seeking patients ‘informed consent: The ethical considerations
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View document |
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Booklet 5: Confidentiality: Protecting and providing information
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View document |
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Booklet 6: Guidelines for the management of patients with HIV infections or AIDS
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View document |
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Booklet 7: Guidelines withholding and withdrawing treatment
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View document |
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Booklet 8: Guidelines on Reproductive Health management
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info coming soon |
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Booklet 9: Guidelines on Patient Records
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View document |
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Booklet 10: Guidelines for the practice of Telehealth
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View document |
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Booklet 11: Guidelines on over servicing, perverse incentives and related matters
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View document |
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Booklet 12: Guidelines for the management of health care waste
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View document |
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Booklet 13: General ethical guidelines for health researchers
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View document |
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Booklet 14: Ethical Guidelines for Biotechnology Research in South Africa
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View document |
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Booklet 15: Research, development and the use of the chemical, biological and nuclear weapons
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View document |
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Booklet 16: Ethical Guidelines on Social Media
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View document |
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Booklet 17: Ethical Guidelines on Palliative Care
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View document |
| Ethical Rulings | View document |
The following includes unprofessional conduct against which the HPCSA may take disciplinary steps:
- Unauthorised advertising
- Over-servicing of patients
- Criminal convictions
- Improper relationships with patients
- Improper conduct of practitioners
- Operational procedure without the patient's permission or consent
- Disclosure of information in regard to a patient without his / her permission
- Incompetence in regard to treatment of patients
- Excessive fees charged/overcharging
- Insufficient care towards patients
- Racial discrimination
- Rude behaviour towards patients
- Prescriptions to already addicted patients
- Perverse incentives and kickbacks
The list is not exhaustive, and such a practitioner may be charged in terms of the ethical rules and the Act.
For any queries email: professionalpractice@hpcsa.co.za
Business Practice
The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) determine, from time to time, what is acceptable in terms of Business Practices in the healthcare sector with the view of protecting the public. The documents hereunder therefore provide an exposition of some of the areas that continually beset the health care industry and affect the professional practices of practitioner’s registered in South Africa. Hereunder includes policy directives on ethical conduct in relation to Business Practices, specifying regulations and rules specifying acts/omissions in respect of which guides for health practitioners registered with the HPCSA, list of entities approved to employ health practitioners and any other relevant information.
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Policy on Business Practices
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List of institution considered in terms of Business Practice Policy and Ethical Rules
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For any application, submissions and queries email: professionalpractice@hpcsa.co.za
Scope of Professions and Practices
The scope of professions is defined in terms of section 33 of the Health Profession Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974) for all professions registrable with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Some professions have defined scope of practices or defined regulations relating to scope of practice to further guide their practitioners on the boundaries of professional practice. Kindly refer to the tab of Rules, Regulations and Guidelines under the respective Professional Board.
Basically, the scope of practice of each registered practitioner is defined in terms of ethical rule 21 of the HPCSA, which states that: “A practitioner shall perform, except in an emergency, only a professional act - (a) for which he or she is adequately educated, trained and sufficiently experienced; and (b) under proper conditions and in appropriate surroundings.”
Emergency: Provision of healthcare services should always be conducted within the limits of their practice and according to their education and/or training, experience and competency under proper conditions and in appropriate surroundings. If unable to do so, refer the patient to a colleague or an institution where the required care can be provided. Provide emergency interventions when required: In an emergency, where there is threat to life or limb (including a perceived threat) and where no appropriately trained healthcare professional is available, then the practitioner must intervene to the best of their ability.
Appropriately educated and trained: To qualify as appropriately educated and trained, the individual practitioner must have successfully completed a training programme approved and accredited by the relevant Board for registration purposes with the following requirements also met:
- The training entity/institution/hospital needs to be accredited by the board for training in that particular profession or discipline and for that particular competency.
- The trainee must have completed a duration of under and/or postgraduate training as laid down by the Board.
- The trainee must have been evaluated and certified as having met the requirements of the training programme by an entity accredited by the Board (e.g. Colleges of Medicine, Universities).
- Short courses can only be recognised as enhancing or maintaining skills within the field of practice and category of registration in which the practitioner had already been credentialed and registered by the Board.
- Practice should be within the scope of the practitioner’s profession as laid down by the Board and is judged by the standards and norms considered reasonable for the circumstances under which the intervention took place.
Sufficiently experienced:
- Initial training under supervision as defined in clause above, by an entity accredited by the Board for such purposes.
- Certification of successful completion of such training.
- With any intervention, proficiency must be demonstrable, taking into account and judged by the standards and norms considered reasonable for the circumstances under which the intervention took place.
- The introduction of new interventions within the practitioners’ scope of profession is only permissible if the practitioner has undergone further appropriate training as approved by the Board.
Work under proper conditions and surroundings: All interventions must take place under appropriate conditions and surroundings. These are subject to judgement by the Board as to what is considered reasonable for the circumstances, surroundings and conditions, under which the intervention took place. No practitioner may embark upon an intervention unless he/she feels that it is in the patient’s interest, and other than in a life or limb threatening emergency, that it is safe to do so. The practitioner will be judged on what requirements are reasonably needed to best ensure a patient’s dignity, integrity and safety.
For further enquiries, please contact professionalpractice@hpcsa.co.za
Maintenance of Licensure Programme
The Health Professions Council of South Africa (Hereafter referred to as “HPCSA”) implement the Continuous Professions Development (Henceforth referred to as “CPD”) programme according to Section 26 of the Health Professions Act of 1974 (Act 56 of 1974). After thorough consultation with stakeholders, the HPCSA resolved to develop the system to enhance the current CPD programme that will assist the practitioner to demonstrate the competence linked to patient outcomes.
The three Professional Boards volunteered to participate in the development of the programme i.e., the Occupational Therapy, Medical Orthotics, Prosthetics and Arts Therapy (henceforth referred to as “OCP”), Medical Technology (henceforth referred to as “MTB)”) and the Medical, Dental and Medical Sciences Board (henceforth referred to as “MDB”).
In order to develop fit-for-purpose programme, the three development boards have commenced has undertaken to consult further with stakeholders such as the professions, associations, service providers, departments, practitioners etc. to collaborate and create a system that the professions will find supportive and conducive to life-long learning and professional development.
The programme to enhance the CPD will be referred to as the Maintenance of Licensure (MOL).
Presentations
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MOL Presentation
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| MoL information pack |