As a registered health practitioner, keeping your personal and professional details up to date with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is more than an administrative requirement — it is an important part of maintaining your professional relationship with Council.
In terms of section 18(1)(3) of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974, practitioners are required to ensure that their details recorded by Council remain accurate and up to date.
Why does this matter?
The HPCSA relies on the information provided by practitioners to communicate important information and notices. Your email address, telephone number and other contact details enable Council to reach you when information requires your attention or action.
Communication from the HPCSA may include information relating to:
- Registration and registration-related matters;
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD);
- Complaints and professional conduct matters;
- Regulatory and professional updates;
- e-Bulletins and newsletters;
- Webinars and stakeholder engagements; and
- Roadshows and other Council initiatives.
If your details are outdated, you may miss important communication that directly affects you as a registered practitioner.
Keep your details current when your circumstances change
Practitioners are encouraged to update their information whenever there is a change to their personal or professional circumstances. This may include changes to:
- Email address;
- Mobile or telephone number;
- Residential or postal address;
- Practice or employment details; and
- Other personal information recorded with Council.
A particular reminder applies to students and newly qualified practitioners. Students are encouraged to provide a personal email address when engaging with the HPCSA, rather than relying solely on an institutional email address that may expire after graduation. Maintaining a reliable personal email address becomes particularly important as practitioners transition from graduation to community service and, thereafter, to independent professional practice.
What happens when your details are not updated?
When practitioners do not update their information, Council may be unable to reach them using the contact details recorded on its database. This can result in important communication being missed, correspondence being sent to outdated addresses, or delays in matters requiring a practitioner’s attention or response.
This is particularly important where a practitioner is required to respond to a regulatory or professional conduct matter. Practitioners remain responsible for ensuring that Council has their current contact information and for attending to communications requiring their response within the applicable timeframes.
Keeping your information updated therefore helps to ensure that you remain informed and able to respond to matters relating to your professional registration and obligations.
Practitioners are encouraged to check their HPCSA profile regularly and ensure that the information recorded is accurate and current.
Updating Your Details
For guidance on how to view and update your HPCSA profile, watch the step-by-step video:
Keep your details current. Stay informed. Stay connected with the HPCSA.
Last Updated on 31 August 2026 by HPCSA Corporate Affairs