SOUTH AFRICAN

PHARMACY COUNCIL

Website address

http://www.sapc.za.org

Customer Care line0861 7272 00 or 0861 SAPC 00

Fax number(012) 321-1492/1479

E-mail address

customercare@sapc.za.org

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Physical address591 Belvedere Street, Arcadia, 0083

Ensuring quality pharmaceutical services

for all the people in South Africa

Postal address

Private Bag 40040, Arcadia, 0007QU

The South African Pharmacy Council

(SAPC) is an independent statutory body

created as a result of the recognition of the

pharmacy profession by the legislature in

South Africa, as a specific occupational

group. The SAPC is established in terms of

the Pharmacy Act, 1974 (Act 53 of 1974)

as amended. The council is vested with

statutory powers of peer review and is

responsible for funding itself. The mission

of the SAPC is to ensure the provision of

quality pharmaceutical services in South

Africa by developing, enhancing and uphold-

ing –

l Universally acceptable standards

l Professional ethics and conduct

l Ongoing competence

l Pharmaceutical care

SAPC is a statutory council and is thus an autonomous body, which receives

no grants or subsidies from Government or any other source. SAPC is

funded wholly by the profession who registers with the SAPC, namely:

1) Pharmacy students

2) Pharmacist interns

3) Pharmacists performing Community Service

4) Pharmacists

5) Specialist pharmacists

6) Pharmacist's assistants

7) Pharmacy owners

8) Responsible pharmacists

9) Providers and assessors

SAPC comprises nine administrative departments which are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the SAPC, these departments are listed

below.

Registrar (Chief Executive Officer): The Registrar as accounting officer in overall control of the Office of Council is responsible for the implementa-tion of council policy; supervision of council spending according to policy; fulfilling the role and responsibilities as prescribed in terms of the Pharmacy Act, 1974; ensuring co-operation, co-ordination and quality assurance of all activities at the Office of Council; and ensuring effective communication with all stakeholders such as the Minister of Health, Department of Health, pharmaceutical industry, voluntary professional organisations and the public in conveying council policy and resolutions. The Chief Operations Officer is the head of administration of Council. He or she is responsible for all operational issues so as to allow the Registrar/CEO to concentrate on stra-tegic issues. He or she provides both strategic and administrative support

to the Registrar/CEO.

The Department: Customer Services and Public Relations is inter alia

responsible to plan, organise and co-ordinate all public relations, media

related activities and all communication related activities. The department

is furthermore responsible for the management of the Customer Care

Contact Centre, document management, mail and workflow. The

Department: Information Technology is inter alia responsible for the

development and implementation of an information management strategy

and the management of IT services and record keeping. The Department:

Legal Services & Professional Conduct is responsible for planning, organis-

ing, co-ordinating and providing guidance over universally acceptable

standards of professional conduct of persons registered with the SAPC and

controlling such persons by investigating complaints or accusations relating

to their conduct. The Department: Finance is responsible for planning,

organising, co-ordinating and providing financial and accounting services.

The Department: HR is responsible for planning, organising, co-ordinating

and providing human resources and support services for the Office of the

Registrar. The Department: Pharmacy Practice is responsible for planning,

organising and providing guidance in establishing, developing and maintain-

ing universally acceptable standards in pharmacy practice. The Inspectorate

of Council also has a corps of 50 part-time inspectors who are responsible

for conducting inspections in pharmacies in order to assist in monitoring

standards of pharmacy practice as well as investigating complaints against

pharmacists. The Department: Pharmacy Education is responsible for

planning, organising and providing guidance in establishing, developing and

maintaining universally acceptable standards in pharmacy education. The

Department: CPD & Registrations is responsible for planning, organising,

co-ordinating and providing guidance in establishing, developing and main-

taining universally acceptable standards in the maintenance of registers and

registrations of various categories of persons and pharmacies. Furthermore

the department is responsible for the implementation and management of

CPD. For more information on the administration of the SAPC please visit

the SAPC Website on www.sapc.za.org.

Administration of the SAPC Continuing Professional Development

The South African Pharmacy Council is pleased to announce to the profes-

sion that the completion of the first phase (pilot phase) of introducing man-

datory recording of continuing professional development (CPD) activities

online by pharmacists has successfully come to an end.

During this phase, which commenced on 4 November 2009, pharmacists

were requested to record their CPD activities online through an online

recording system linked to the Council’s website in South Africa. This was

made possible through an agreement between the SAPC and CoAcS, a

company based in the United Kingdom.

Pre- and post-pilot surveys were conducted on pharmacists prior and post

recording of CPD activities online by using an adapted survey questionnaire

(5-State CPD pilot USA 2006-7). Participating pharmacists recorded their

learning activities between the pre- and post-pilot surveys.

The second phase was initiated in 2010, which involved the development of

a South African unique web based recording system set to become opera-

tional in 2011. Challenges identified in the first phase are being addressed in

the second phase. Pharmacists who have not yet used the system are

encouraged to log on and record their CPD activities to familiarise them-

selves with the online recording of activities.

Council thanks all members of the profession who participated in the CPD

pilot project and provided inputs on the CPD web based system.

Quality pharmaceutical services

for all the people in South Africa

ROLE OF THE SAPC

Created for the profession by the profession

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Last reviewed: 2011

SAPC is representative and consists of 25 members viz. sixteen mem-

bers appointed by the Minister of Health; and nine members elected by

pharmacists. Of the 25 members, 21 are pharmacists. The Council

meets at least three times per annum. The following standing commit-

tees assist in the functioning of the Council. Ad hoc committees may also

be appointed from time to time. Council has appointed the following

standing committees:

l Executive Committee

l Education Committee

l Practice Committee

l Committee of Preliminary Investigation

l Committee of Informal Inquiry

l Committee of Formal Inquiry

l Health Committee

l Continuing Professional Development

l Audit Committee

R

To enable the public to have access to

pharmacists and pharmacist's assis-

tants, who are competent to prac-

tise, a register of such persons is

necessary. In this regard the SAPC

therefore has two duties to dis-

charge viz -

l to ensure that pharmacists and

pharmacist's assistants admitted

to the registers of Council are

competent; and

l to remove the names of those

pharmacists and pharmacist's

assistants who are unfit to prac-

tise.

Registration Benefits

The maintenance of a register offers various benefits to those whose

names appear in it, these benefits includes:

l bestowal of professional status to the Pharmacy Professional which

includes the right to practice his/her profession;

l public recognition on the competent practitioner who is thus able to

command a reward for his/her services; and

l creditibility in the competency of the pharmacy professional.

Registration with SAPC

SAPC Composition Register with the SAPC in 3 easy steps

1. Complete the prescribed application form. The application forms

can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar by:

l calling the Customer Care line on 0861 7272 00; or

l telefax, using the following number: (012) 321-1479/92; or

l requesting the appropriate forms in writing from: The Registrar,

Private Bag 40040, Arcadia, 0007; or

l downloading the appropriate forms from the Council's website

at www.sapc.za.org.

2. Complete all the sections of the form(s) accurately. Attach the sup-

porting documentation as listed on the prescribed form. Please note

only original certificates and notarised copies are acceptable and not

facsimile copies.

3. Submit the duly completed application form(s) with supporting

documentation, including the registration fee(s) as indicated on the

application form(s), to the Office of the Registrar in good time.

Once registered with SAPC you will receive:

l a registration certificate issued by Council as proof of registration;

and

l a practising card that is renewed annually on payment of the appli-

cable annual fee.

The registration fee for a particular category of registration is payable

only once, i.e. when registering for the first time in a particular category.

Registration fees vary according to the category of registration.

To retain your SAPC registration, remember to pay the

annual fee as prescribed.

What do the registration and annual fees

cover?

The fees received by SAPC from registered pharmacy professionals are

used to cover the costs of:

l Running the SAPC; and

l Administering the Pharmacy Profession in terms of registration, main-

taining standards of education and training as well as maintaining fair

standards of professional practice.

Any person who is a holder of a

licence issued in terms of the

Regulations relating to the ownership

and licensing of pharmacies shall, with-

in 30 days from the date of issue by

the Director General of the

Department of Health but prior to

any pharmaceutical services being

provided record such pharmacy in

the registers of Council.

In terms of the Act, the following cat-

egories of pharmacies are recorded

with Council, viz:

1) Manufacturing Pharmacy

2) Wholesale Pharmacy

3) Community Pharmacy

4) Institutional Pharmacy (Private and Public)

5) Consultant Pharmacy

SAPC is entrusted with establishing,

developing, maintaining and exercis-

ing control over universally accepta-

ble standards of professional con-

duct of persons registered with it

and controlling such persons by

investigating complaints or accusa-

tions relating to their conduct.

The regulations relating to profes-

sional conduct inquiries are applied

in accordance with legal principles,

following upon allegations of unpro-

fessional conduct by registered per-

sons being brought to the SAPC's attention.

The disciplinary process followed incorporates the principles of peer

review and public accountability, as well as making provision for the

requirements of the Constitution. Apart from the freedom of a mem-

ber of the public to lodge a complaint with the SAPC, the public has

access to avenues of civil litigation. There is furthermore a legal obliga-

tion on the courts to inform the SAPC of proceedings in which regis-

tered persons are found guilty.

Control of Professional Conduct

Recording of Pharmacies

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