17 January 2020

 

TO:	National Department of Health
	Provincial Departments of Health
	Nursing Education Institutions
	All Stakeholders

 

Rescindment of Circular 3 of 2013: Database for post-basic programmes proposal for new fields of specialization in nursing

17 January 2020

By resolution of Council taken at its meeting held on 27-28 November 2019, the South African Nursing Council (SANC) hereby rescinds circular 3 of 2013 in its entirety. As a statutory body established to set and maintain standards of Nursing Education, Training and Practice in South Africa, the SANC supports the need to provide continuing education and training to registered nurses on a variety of clinical specializations in an effort to adequately respond to population health needs. It also recognizes the role played by Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and other interest groups in identifying and proposing new fields of specializations in nursing. However, the SANC believes that the determination of a need for clinical specializations resides with and should be done based on the support of the National Department of Health as informed by service needs survey.

This is based on the premise that the National Department of Health is the custodian of the human resources for health planning and provision, and as such, determines health priorities in order to ensure that the care provided responds to the quadruple burden of diseases and the constantly changing health needs.
This is also to ensure efficient use of resources, avoid duplication of specializations whose elements are already covered within the existing overall framework and it will also minimise risks of creating specializations whose employment potential is not guaranteed. 

Rescindment of Circular 3 of 2013 provides the SANC with an opportunity to review this matter and together with the National Department of Health, establish a seamless process that will clearly outline the procedure to be followed in the submission of proposals for new fields of specialisations in nursing. 

Kind regards

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council