6 August 2020

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

 

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS BY NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FOR ACCREDITATION OF POST-GRADUATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES LEADING TO REGISTRATION AS A NURSE OR MIDWIFE SPECIALIST 

 

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this circular is to:

1.1 Remind/alert Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) of the promulgation of regulations relating to the above-mentioned nursing programmes, thus enabling them to submit applications for accreditation of the said programmes to the South African Nursing Council (SANC); and

1.2 Notify the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions and other relevant stakeholders of the availability of education and training guidelines for the programmes.

 

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Promulgation of the Regulations Relating to the Approval of and the Minimum Requirements for the Education and Training of a Student Leading to Registration as a Nurse Specialist or Midwife Specialist by the Minister of Health, on 5 June 2020 (Government Notice No. R. 635 of 5 June 2020) enables Nursing Education Institutions to design and submit the applications, for accreditation of programmes, mentioned above.

2.2 The Council has approved education and training guidelines for the said programmes, in order to provide further guidance and facilitate the accreditation process. The guidelines are already posted on the SANC website: www.sanc.co.za

 

3. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

3.1 Nursing Education Institutions that have completed the design of their programmes should submit their applications for accreditation of programmes to the SANC as soon as possible, as the SANC is expecting an influx of applications, considering urgent need for Nurse Specialists and Midwife Specialists in the country; 

3.2 NEIs are implored to submit complete documents at the outset in order to avoid delays caused by sending the documents back to the NEIs, sometimes more than once; 

3.3 Only hard copies shall be accepted;

3.4 The application(s) should be accompanied by proof of payment in terms of the Board Notice regarding the fees and fines payable to SANC for year 2021 as no programme will be evaluated without such proof of payment. (Find attached for ease of reference); and

3.5 NEIs are reminded of the content of the collaborative agreement between the SANC and the Council on Higher Education (CHE), sent to the NEIs on 26 August 2019. One specific provision indicated that the CHE will no longer accept any applications from nursing education providers that do not have a letter of approval from the SANC.

 

4. IMPLEMENTATION

This circular becomes implementable and valid on the date of issue.

 

5. FURTHER ENQUIRIES

For further information in respect of this circular, you are advised to contact Ms SJ Nxumalo, SANC Senior Manager: Education &Training at (012) 420 1022 or on e-mail at: [email protected] 

Yours sincerely,

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council