pssa national executive meeting feb 2012

Physical Address: Pharmacy House, 6 de Veer Lane, Arcadia, 0083 • Postal Address: PO Box 26039, Arcadia,

0007 • Presidential email: [email protected] •

Presidential Committee 2011/2012: Raydon Juta (President), Thulasiswe Shelembe (Vice-President), Selby Masusku (Treasurer), Fadzai

Munedzimwe (General Secretary), Shazia Noormahomed(Media and Comm), Lutendo Makgopa (Editor), Lebogang Maluleke (IPSF CP/SEO)

The South African Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation was established 59 years ago by the

Potchefstroom Apteker Studente Vereeniging (NWU) and the Rhodes University Pharmacy Students’

Association (RU). The Federation from that moment has never stood alone as a Federation but

always had a close relationship with the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa.

The Society was always had a guiding arm and played a role in the nurturing of future leaders within

the Federation, who will someday play a large role in leading the Society and the profession for the

better.

The Federation however went through a rough period of internal instability which resulted in a break

in communication with the Society. This changed however with myself being invited to attend the

PSSA National Executive Meeting from 13-14 February in Pretoria.

Part of my objective in attending the meeting was to allay any concerns or fears regarding the

Federation with the PSSA National Executive, provide insight as to where the Federation is currently

standing as well as form relationships with the PSSA and ask for their active participation in Student

Affairs.

The Society was updated and the following matters within SAPSF were explained:

Finance:

SAPSF has moved from being financially destitute at times, to a place of increased financial stability.

Although it is not quite at the financial level it would have liked to be, it is steadily growing. This has

been a good achievement and has been due to a conservative spending decision placed by the

current Presco on the Federation’s finances resulting in a build up of reserves in the account.

Website:

The Federation is attempting to launch its first website this year and is about 85% completed. The

website will be part of the SAPSF branding image and will be used for purposes such as publications,

initiatives, projects, news and general information. The website is planned to be officially launched

at the SAPSF Conference at Wits this year.

Projects:

The Society was introduced to the Federation’s projects/initiatives and each one explained to them

as to what it was and the reasons behind each project with keen interest from the committee. The

Federation believes that it is part of its mission to promote health and good values to the community

it serves through its branches.





Publications:

A newly launched newsletter, which is sent to every branch to distribute to their students which

contains monthly news about SAPSF and other branches. Part of the publications is the production

of a bi-annual magazine, the Antidote, which is undergoing extensive creative processing at present.

Formal Standard Operating Procedures:

The current Presidential Committee has identified the need for SOP’s in the Federation to ensure a

standard is maintained at all times and that correct procedures are followed at all times. The SOP’s

also ensure continuity within the Federation. The SOP’s are always based on the Constitution of the

Federation, or is never in contravention of the Constitution. The file will be electronic and in hard-

copy format.

SOP’s include the following topics:

Communication procedures

Debate document

Election document

Motion document

Formal procession procedures

SEP

SEP Standard Programme

Website SOP

Oath Ceremony

Changeover of committees

Financial Proposal document

Conference documents

SAPSF Legacy Initiative:

The SAPSF Legacy initiative was brought up with the National Executive, which is an initiative guided

by principles of continuity, guidance and mentorship within the Federation and between the Society.

The initiative is a proposal document which will be taken to the upcoming conference to be voted

upon in terms of certain features of the document.

The document outlines a restructuring plan of the current Presidential and Executive Committee of

the Federation in terms of the following:

- Immediate Past President Position on Executive Committee o In an advisory role, has no decisive powers





o Ensures guidance of the new Presidential Committee - Mentorship

o The Presidential Committee is to be mentored by their local PSSA Branch o The outgoing Presidential Committee is to keep contact with the incoming

Presidential Committee for at least 2 weeks for 2 months. - Working Groups

o Each Presidential Committee portfolio is to have a corresponding person at branch level as is appropriate

- Editor Internship Programme o This programme is to take place under the leadership and guidance of the SAPJ

editor to ensure quality publications within the Federation

The resolutions with the Society and the Federation included the above mentioned mentorship plan

and that the SAPSF President needs to always be invited to attend the PSSA National Executive

Committee Meeting.

SAPSF was approached by the Cape Town PSSA branch and offered a sales deal with the Daily Drug

Use where SAPSF is able to sell it to all its student members at a reduced price. This will increase

SAPSF branding as well as increase some funds for the Federation.

The Society requested that the Federation work on the professional character of the students and

ensure that they maintain such character upon graduation, and purvey this within the workplace and

ensure that the everyone catches that flame. The Society felt that SAPSF should always feel welcome

at the PSSA and will always be welcome to attend Society meetings at all times.

The meeting also included a visit by the Registrar from Pharmacy Council who addressed the

National Executive on topics such as the new developments with this year’s Internship programme

as well as the preparations for the Pharmacy Technicians qualifications.

The space was used to enquire about the delay in Intern registrations this year and multiple excuses

from customer service to the frustration of many interns. It was resolved that anyone who is still

struggling with registration to forward their names to the PSSA Head Office for follow up.

The Registrar mentioned that the Pharmacy Assistant qualification will be phased out by 2016 as the

incoming Technicians and Technician’s Assistants should be visible in the work place, with the

Pharmacist Technician’s Assistant graduating from 2014 and the Pharmacist Technician graduating

from 2015.

Regarding the Technician qualification stream, SAPSF came into the spotlight with mention of the

debate at the SAPSF National Executive Committee Meeting at Wits in December, where it was





discussed whether the Federation and branches should allow those who are training at higher

institutions where there are SAPSF Branches present to become members of the Federation.

From the Federation’s point of view (Refer to Exco Minutes), it was agreed that it should be taken to

conference at Wits this year and put to an official vote and motion as the Executive saw it as a

positive move in increasing the future relationships between the technical staff and the Pharmacists.

It was also discussed that there would be limitations with regards to office bearing.

The Society felt likewise that it is a good move in the spirit of team work and cooperation in the

Pharmacy environment. SAPSF seemed to be on the forefront of the debate with certain sectors

following with the above considerations which will be taken to their AGM’s too for voting and

debating purposes.

Other matters of interest was the discussion and lively interaction by those present regarding the

current publication of the intent to allow Nurses to prescribe up to and including Schedule 6 items.

The Executive felt very strongly against this and felt that it needed to be followed up and averted at

all costs. It was felt that the Nurses do not have adequate training nor the expertise to prescribe up

to Schedule 6 and that it was a poor attempt by the Department of Health and SANC.

In general, the meeting was very productive for the Federation and the profession as a whole. It was

good to see that SAPSF was still in the hearts and minds of those above us. The PSSA is definitely not

a Society for old men with tall hats as some would say, but they are a group of people who truly

believe in fighting for our beloved profession.

pssa national executive meeting feb 2012

Documents