Health Professions Council of South Africa, also called HPCSA, is a statutory regulator of Health Care professions in South Africa.
It promotes Health Care, determines education standards, and sets and maintains standards of ethical and professional practice for professions.
It was created in 1974 under the Health Professions at number 56 of 1974. It was created with the aim to enhance the quality of health by developing a strategic policy framework for effective coordination and guidance of its 12 professional boards in setting Healthcare standards for the training and discipline of professionals.
The medical and dental board regulate Health practitioners by
- Setting and maintaining standards of training and practice for healthcare professionals and, if need be, disciplining those who go against the standards.
- Setting and monitoring mandatory requirements for the continuous professional growth of all registered practitioners and ensuring that the training institute sticks to the council’s standards.
- Setting ethical and Professional Standards and Publishing guidelines for practitioners to follow.
How to register with HPCSA.
Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa is a condition for professional practice and legal regulation to update all personal details at all times.
To register, an annual fee has to be paid, and failure to comply, the candidate will face a suspension from registration. And if they happen to be suspended, the practitioner can redeem their suspension by applying for restoration, in which a restoration fee will be paid.
There are nine classifications of registration, and not all categories apply to all professions.
These categories include internship, students, public or community service, Private Practice, student intern, supervised practice, specialized, independent practice, and sub-specialize practice.
Other classifications for temporary or restricted registration include education, volunteer, and postgraduate.
The registration process varies between the 12 professional boards.
Practitioners can do their registration online by following the steps outlined below.
- Visit the health profession council of South Africa website and click on the online registration tab.
- Create an HPCSA account by entering a 13 digit identification number or a passport number if he or she is a foreign practitioner.
- Use your identification number as username and your password to log in. When logged in, you can edit and renew your details.
- You can then make the annual fee payment through bank deposits, integrated EFT, debit cards, or credit cards.
- You can now access the Health Profession councils of South Africa (HPCSA) practising certificate. It can be accessed electronically, or you can print it out.
General registration requirements include;
- Registration from 23 Community Services.
- Certified copy of identification documents or passport with a clear photograph.
- An annual registration fee with the pro-rata annual fee.
Applicants can be registered in the public service category or in the community service category.
As earlier mentioned, registration requirements vary from One professional board to another.
For qualified candidates who obtained their qualifications abroad, registration as a health practitioner in any of the professions shall be done by acquiring a prescribed application form from the professional board in concern.
HPCSA Requirements
The registration requirements include;
- A certified copy of the candidate’s identification documents or passport.
- A certified copy of the degree certificate or other skills by a notary public is one English translation thereafter.
- A certified copy of a detailed and official curriculum of the candidate’s courses of study, the contents of theory and practical education, the specific courses, and the mode and duration of examination and evaluation.
- In case the applicant is registering in a profession that requires internship training, he or she will present the certificate of training as an intern or a similar experience acquired elsewhere.
- In the case of the independence practice category, the applicant must present proof of compliance with the requirements of section 25 (3A) of the ACT
- An original certificate of good standing, issued by the foreign registration Authority where the candidate was registered and it should be six months old or less.
- An authorization letter issued by the national Department of Health for registration in terms of regulation, confirming the placement or employability of the candidate, or a confirmation of registration for postgraduate studies, issued by the educational institution in concern for registration terms of regulation or an endorsement letter for the registration in terms of regulation issued by the prospective employer.
- The prescribed and full registration fees.
A voluntary erasure is possible only if the practitioner has no intentions of practising his or her profession in South Africa for a certain period of time. In that case, a request should be submitted in writing before the end of March of the year it is requested.
What are the benefits of registration?
One important thing to note is that you may not be allowed to practice if you have not registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
After registration, the practitioner can be rest assured that the profession is safeguarded.
Other benefits of registration include;
- Professional status is granted.
When you register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, your professional status is granted and you have the right to practice your profession. The Health Professions Council of South Africa ensures that no unqualified individual practices in your profession.
You are also recognized as a skilled practitioner who deserves a reward for services rendered.
- The HPCSA sets professional behaviour standards.
Health Professions Council of South Africa guides you on the best practices in healthcare delivery. They also contribute to quality standards, promoting the health of all individuals in South Africa, and they act against unethical practitioners.
- The Health Professions Council of South Africa ensures your continuous professional growth by establishing and enabling principles of good practice to be followed throughout your career by ensuring you are up to date with trends in the healthcare sector. They also improve your customer care skills.
Practitioners who no longer practice their profession may request that they be removed from the HPCSA register on a voluntary basis. A request in writing should be submitted to the council before the end of March in the year they wish to be removed.
Professionals who are relocating are obliged to inform the Health Professions Council of South Africa prior to the day of location.
Practitioners are also requested to inform the Health Professions Council of South Africa at all times when they change addresses.
Read Also: How to Register With The Department Of Labour
How to get your HPCSA registration certificate.
The health profession Council of South Africa registration certificate is a document that indicates that the bearer is a legally qualified health care practitioner and he or she can therefore practice their profession in South Africa.
Practitioners are allowed to use the registration certificate as proof of registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
Outlined below are steps on how to download your registration certificate.
Before you start, ensure that you have an active HPCSA online account and that your yearly registration fees have been paid.
- Open the HPCSA website and click on the HPCSA login button.
- Click on “my registration”.
- Choose the registration status that is indicated as active and tap on the “click here” tab to continue.
- When you do that, the certificate will be displayed on the screen. To download the certificate, click on “print card” and choose the PDF option to save a copy.
