Question NW2109 to the Minister of Health

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04 August 2015 - NW2109

Profile picture: Volmink, Mr HC

Volmink, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Health

(1)How many foreign nationals did the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) accredit to work as (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) other medical practitioners between 1 January 2010 and 30 April 2015; (2) how many (a) South African medical doctors and (b) South Africans who obtained their qualifications as medical doctors outside of the country were accredited by the HPCSA between 1 January 2010 and 30 April 2015; (3) (a) how many South Africans who qualified as medical doctors outside the country and who applied for accreditation between 1 January 2010 and 30 April 2015 were not successful in their applications and (b) what remedy is available to medical doctors who have taken but failed the HPCSA accreditation examination three or more times; (4) will he make a list of foreign institutions accredited by the HPCSA available to the public; (5) how the skills of doctors who qualified outside of South Africa will be utilised until such doctors obtain proper accreditation from the HPCSA?

Reply:

  1. (a) 1 623;

(b) No nurse is ever registered with the HPCSA;

(c) I do not understand what “other medical practitioners” means.

2. (a) 6 729;

(b) 61;

3.  (a) 22;

(b) There is no remedy available for practitioners who have failed the examination three times.

4. There is currently no list of accredited qualifications obtained outside South Africa.

5. Since registration is a pre-requisite for practising the profession of medicine in South Africa, applicants will not be able to work as medical practitioners until such time as they are appropriately registered with the Medical and Dental Board.

END.

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