The Education, Training and Registration Committee (ETRC) of the Professional Board for Radiography and Clinical Technology (RCT) of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is tasked to address all education, training, and registration-related issues of the Board.
Background
The HPCSA is a statutory body established in terms of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974 (the Act) and is committed to protecting the public and guiding the professions. The HPCSA consists of 12 Professional Boards and the RCT Board is one of them.
In performing its duties, the ETRC adheres to the requirements of the HPCSA as stipulated in section 16 of the Act, and to the Vision and Mission Statements, and strategic goal number four (4) of the RCT Board which deals with improving Board and committee processes.
| The vision of the RCT Board Regulator of ethical, equitable, efficient, and innovative radiography and clinical technology professions. |
| Mission Statement of the RCT Board The Radiography and Clinical Technology Board strives to be efficient, within its mandate: Prioritise protection of the public; Ensure continuous professional development; Set and monitor compliance to quality norms, standards, and guidelines for protection of all; Promote ethical practice and protection of the public; Proactively engage and collaborate with all stakeholders (internal and external); Timeously respond to the needs of stakeholders; and Function in an effective and efficient manner. |
Mandate of the ETRC
The Education, Training and Registration Committee is mandated to:
- Deal with and finalise all matters relating to education, training, registration, restoration and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of practitioners within the ambit of the Professional Board and to report to the Board thereon.
- Ensure that the minimum standards of education and training at education institutions, as may be determined by the Board from time-to-time are maintained, i.e. to undertake initial assessments and conduct re-evaluations and site-visits on a regular basis.
- Authorised to deal with, finalise and report on the following matters to the Board:
- Non-compliant applications for registration,
- Applications for Board examinations including foreign qualified;
- Evaluations of education and training programmes submitted to the Board for accreditation purposes;
- All matters relating to persons undergoing training whilst unregistered and to refer such matters to the Committee of Preliminary Inquiry for consideration;
- Setting, review and overseeing the maintaining of the education and training standards for professions under the ambit of the Professional Board;
- To consider application from any educational institution wishing to offer training that falls within the ambit of the Board.
- To consider applications submitted for restoration purposes.
- Formulating recommendations for policy review and guidelines relating with regard to (1-7) above;
- Advising the Board relating to international trends best practices relating to education and training and to conduct research on matters aimed at advancing and developing the education and training of the professions falling under the ambit of the Professional Board; and
- To explore opportunities for communication with stakeholders, establishment of partnerships with other Professional Bodies Internationally relating to education and training matters and to advise the Board thereon.
- Perform other oversight functions as requested by the Board;
- The Committee is authorised by the Board to seek and obtain any information or documents it requires from any employee of Council, education and training institutions accredited by the Board, stakeholders and other Professional Boards in order to perform its duties.
Education component of the ETRC
For a radiographer or clinical technologist to be registered with the HPCSA under the RCT Board, the student needs to be trained adequately in theory, practical, evaluations, ethical and medical law and other applicable requirements for example, the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and South African Quality Authority (SAQA) outcomes of the qualification.
Training component of the ETRC
When the radiographer or clinical technologist has satisfactorily completed all the qualification requirements, the practitioner can register with the HPCSA. After registration with the HPCSA, the Board ensures that practitioners uphold their CPD requirements as stipulated by the HPCSA.
The ETRC ensures that the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) adhere to all the requirements in the training of radiographers or clinical technologists. The ETRC also conducts evaluations of clinical training sites to ensure that they also adhere to the requirements as required by the HPCSA.
Registration component of the ETRC
When the radiographer or clinical technologist has satisfactorily completed all the qualification requirements, the graduate registers with the HPCSA. This is in terms of section 17 of the Act (Registration a prerequisite for practising). After registering with the HPCSA, the ETRC also ensures that the practitioners uphold their CPD requirements of the HPCSA as stipulated in section 26 of the Act (prerequisite for continued professional development).
Stakeholder engagement
To ensure practitioners adhere to the requirements of the HPCSA, the ETRC conducts quarterly meetings to evaluate the standards requirements and address new agenda items brought to the RCT Board by stakeholders. The Board conducts regular stakeholder engagement meetings with different stakeholders to discuss issues as they emerge. Topics and requests from the stakeholder engagement meetings are forwarded to the RCT Board and if they fall with the ETRC, they will then be discussed at the quarterly ETRC meetings.
ETRC members
The current ETRC members are:
- Dr R Nell (Chairperson)
- Ms E Naidoo
- Dr P Nkosi
- Dr DR Prakaschandra
- Dr B Shongwe
- Dr E Vermaak
- Dr M Ravhengani
Agenda items discussed at ETRC Meetings
Matters related to Education, Training and Registration applicable to practitioners registered under the RCT Board are discussed at the ETRC and structured around the following topics:
- Guidelines for the accreditation of training facilities;
- Matters from stakeholders’ engagement meetings;
- Matters pertaining to the evaluation and accreditation of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs);
- Evaluation of clinical facilities – Radiography and Clinical Technology;
- Evaluation Reports of clinical training facilities – Radiography;
- Evaluation Reports of clinical training facilities – Clinical Technology;
- Application for reaccreditation of clinical training facilities – Radiography;
- Application for reaccreditation of clinical training facilities – Clinical Technology;
- Board examinations; and
- Other items
RCT Board and the ETRC
The resolutions taken by the ETRC pertaining to policy and guideline review, statutory and regulatory matters, and any other matters where the mandate indicates that recommendations should be made to the Board are forwarded to the RCT Board for final approval.
Conclusion
The ETRC is entrusted to uphold the mandated values of the HPCSA. In delivering its duties, the ETRC adheres to the Vision and Mission statements of the RCT Board.
Chairperson ETRC
Last Updated on 18 May 2023 by HPCSA Corporate Affairs