sector skills plan for the health sector in south africa

3.9.2 REGULATION OF QUALITY
Strict regulatory controls are in place to control standards for entry into the healthcare professions.
Statutory provisions require health professionals to be registered as such in their respective fields. As
discussed in Chapter 2, the HPCSA, AHPCSA, SANC, SAPC, SADTC and SAVC control the respective
registers entrusted to them by statute. Registration as a healthcare professional or technician only
takes place once the applicant has obtained the required qualifications and has served an internship or
has completed practical training.
Several categories of healthcare professionals are required to serve one year of community service in
the public health services before they are allowed to register for independent practice. The professional
bodies also determine the scope of practice for the various categories of healthcare professionals, which
amounts to controlling the services and treatment that are permitted and those that are not. Although
the professional councils do not control or influence the supply of skills, they do control the quality of
skills available in the health sector. As such, the councils set standards for practice, education and
training and ensure that the training programmes offered meet the specifications of registered
qualifications. The councils also assess and accredit training providers entrusted with delivering
accredited programmes and perform quality assurance functions required in terms of the skills
development legislation. The councils furthermore determine the standards for the CPD that
professionals require in order to retain their registration. Generally healthcare professionals may
engage in a range of activities to update their skills, including organisational activities, self-study and
groupstudy, usage of information from latest research publications, teaching, and the acquisition of
additional qualifications. 107
The NHA establishes academic health complexes 108 where health workers are trained in primary,
secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities and are exposed to peripheral facilities serving communities.
The intention is to better prepare staff to work in a range of facilities, including primary healthcare.
3.10 NATIONAL HEALTH POLICIES
South Africa endorsed three health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which are to:
reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; and combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other
diseases. 109 Several national health policies are focused on achieving those goals and to improve the
health profile of all South Africans. A number of the key priorities in the “Health Sector Strategic
Framework: The 10 Point Plan” 110 of the DoH have a direct bearing on the actions and skills required to
achieve national policy objectives. Among these are:
107 Macheke, C. 2010. HWSETA Health Sector Baseline Study.
108 Section 51 of the National Health Act 61 of 2003.
109 Day, C. and Gray, A. 2008. “Health and Related Indicators”. South African Health Review. Health Systems Trust. Published at
http://www.hst.org.za/uploads/files/chap16_08.pdf. (Accessed August 2010); Harrison, D. 2009. An Overview of Health and
Health care in South Africa 1994-2010: Priorities, Progress and Prospects for New Gains. Published at www.doh.gov.za
(Accessed February 2010).
110 DoH. 2010. “Health Sector Strategic Framework: The 10 Point Plan” in the Strategic Plan 2010/11-2012/13 . Published at
www.doh.gov.za (Accessed August 2010).
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