The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is a statutory body, established in terms of the Health Professions Act and is committed to protecting the public and guiding the professions.

What do they do?

The HPCSA, in conjunction with its 12 Professional Boards, is committed to promoting the health of the population, determining standards of professional education and training, and setting and maintaining excellent standards of ethical and professional practice.

The Council guides and regulates the health professions in the country in aspects pertaining to registration, education and training, professional conduct and ethical behaviour, ensuring continuing professional development, and fostering compliance with healthcare standards. All individuals who practise any of the health care professions incorporated in the scope of the HPCSA are obliged by the Health Professions Act No. 56 of 1974 to register with the Council. Failure to do so constitutes a criminal offence.

The HPCSA’s vision is to enhance the quality of health by developing strategic policy frameworks for effective co-ordination and guidance of their professional boards in:

• Setting healthcare standards for training and discipline in the professionals registered with the HPCSA;
• Ensuring on-going professional competence; and
• Fostering compliance with those standards.

The HPCSA regards Corporate Governance and the management of risk as fundamental mechanisms to drive good organisational practice and is committed to ensuring that good governance is practiced. Their processes and practices have their origin in the principles of integrity and accountability.

The HPCSA subscribes to a governance system whereby, in particular, ethics and integrity set the standards for compliance, and constantly reviews and adapts its structures and processes to facilitate effective leadership and sustainability.

The HPCSA protects the public by ensuring to:

• Set standards for registrants’ education and training, professional skills, conduct, performance, and ethics;
• Keep a register of professionals who meet those standards;
• Approve programmes which professionals must complete to register with HPCSA; and
• Take action when professionals on their Register do not meet their standards.

This means that professionals registered with the HPCSA are sincere and meet national standards. This offers the public protection if professionals fail to meet these standards.

In its mandate to protect the public and uphold the ethics and quality of healthcare professionals in South Africa, HPCSA only registers professionals who meet their standards for the training, professional skills, and behaviour of healthcare professionals. The HPCSA believes that all people have the right to good health and quality healthcare.

At Immploy, we strive to ensure that all our medical professionals and locums adhere to the mandates of their respective councils, to provide quality healthcare in improving the quality of life, for all South Africans.

If you are a qualified locum and would like to apply for one of our locum positions, visit our job portal at jobs.immploy.com

For more information about the HPCSA, visit http://www.hpcsa.co.za.