The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is mandated to regulate health professions in the country in aspects pertaining to education, training, registration, professional conduct, and ethical behaviour, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and fostering compliance with healthcare standards.
The Professional Boards under the ambit of the HPCSA, are concerned that some of the registered health practitioners are not complying with the mandatory CPD requirements. The CPD programme is implemented through the Rules as defined under the authority of Section 26 of the Health Professions Act (Act No. 56 of 1974), which requires that all registered health practitioners continually update their professional knowledge, skills and relevant competencies while practising her/his profession.
To improve awareness and compliance of the CPD requirements, Council is embarking on a campaign to raise awareness and educate practitioners of this legislative requirement. Health practitioners are urged to participate in CPD activities relevant to their profession, and provide evidence of such engagement to Council, in order to ensure that they do not fall short of meeting applicable thresholds and thereby avoid action/s relating to non-compliance.
It remains the responsibility of each registered practitioner to ensure that their professional skills, knowledge and experience obtained through formal and informal professional development activities, are documented through the CPD programme.
The value of any educational or learning activity is measured using Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Currently CEUs are valid for 24 months from the date of the activity. The minimum requirements set by each registration category can be found on the CPD guidelines.
“We urge all registered healthcare practitioners to work with us to ensure compliance”, says Dr Magome Masike, Registrar of the HPCSA. “Ongoing professional development ensures that the quality of health services is of a high standard and is delivered by competent professionals in an ethical manner. Council values the CPD programme and will enforce its application for the benefit of health practitioners and the public as a whole”, adds Dr Masike.
Non-compliance to CPD requirements may lead to suspension from practising, registration category downgrades (including placing non-compliant practitioners in supervised practice for periods determined by the Professional Board), attendance of mandatory training programme or writing of examination to retain active registration with Council.
Health practitioners can also verify their CPD compliance status by accessing their own profile on the online platform of Council: https://hpcsaonline.custhelp.com/app/home,
Alternatively Council can be reached at 012 338 9300/1 or by email at professionalpractice@hpcsa.co.za.
Last Updated on 20 September 2023 by HPCSA Corporate Affairs