It might seem entirely fair to charge a patient if they make an appointment, but then don’t turn up for it. However, this is in breach of the HPCSA’s ethical rules.
Many practitioners are in the habit of charging patients who do not honour their appointments. It may come as a surprise to these practitioners that this is frowned upon by the HPCSA and is in breach of the Council’s ethical rules which state:
‘A practitioner shall not charge or receive fees for services not personally rendered, except for services rendered by another practitioner in his or her employment or with whom he or she is associated as a partner, shareholder or locum tenens.’
Practitioners are urged to uphold the ethical rules and regulations. Click here to view the guidelines on the ethical rules.
Last Updated on 17 July 2014 by HPCSA Corporate Affairs