04 April 2019

TO:	SANC staff and clients
FROM:	Ms SA Mchunu Registrar and CEO

 

SANC open at 11:00 on Tuesday, 9 April 2019

 

Please be informed that the South African Nursing Council offices will open at 11:00am on Tuesday, 9 April 2019 due to operational reasons.

 

Your co-operation in this regard is appreciated.

 

Yours sincerely

_______________
Ms SA Mchunu
Registrrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

 

1 April 2019

TO:	News Editor
FROM:	Ms SA Mchunu Registrar and CEO

 

SANC announces partnership with Government on Annual Fee collection

 

The South African Nursing Council (SANC) has been and continues to be mindful of the challenges that nurse practitioners, employers and the SANC experience during the annual fees collection period, mostly affecting receipt of Annual Practising Certificates (APCs).

 

“It is therefore our pleasure to announce that a solution we have been working on steadfastly has now come to fruition, and will make a hugely positive impact on the annual registration process – no more queues and no need to travel to the SANC Head Office in Pretoria to make your annual payment,” says Ms Sizo Mchunu, Registrar and CEO.

 

“A proposal made to the Department of Health by the SANC to have annual fees collected through PERSAL, has resulted in the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council (PHSDSBC) taking the following resolution:

Resolution 02 of 2018: Agreement on Payment of Annual Statutory Registration Fees in respect of Health Care Occupations for the Health and Social Development Departments.”

 

Summarily, the agreement captures the following, among others:

•	Recognition that payment of annual registration fees to statutory bodies is a mandatory legal requirement and that such registration is a requirement for employment and practising in the health and social development sector
•	Deduction of professional registration fees from salaries of employees
•	Payment of such statutory fees to Statutory Council by the employer on behalf of employees
•	The commitment is that the implementation date for this arrangement is year 2019.

 

The implementation process has begun between the Department of Health, PHSDSBC and the SANC for implementation in 2019. Nurses affected will be informed officially as soon as the process is ready. 

ENDS

Issued by:
Mrs. Adri van Eeden
Senior Manager: Marketing and Communication
South African Nursing Council 
E-mail : [email protected]
Website : www.sanc.co.za 
Tel : 012 426-9542

Official Spokesperson and person to be quoted:
Ms. S Mchunu
Registrar and CEO: SA Nursing Council

For more information or to arrange for an interview with the Spokesperson, please contact Mrs. Adri van Eeden on Tel. (012) 426-9542 or email: [email protected] 

1 April 2019

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

 

South African Nursing Council – Easter Holidays Closure

 

Please be informed that the South African Nursing Council (SANC) offices will be closed from Thursday, 18 April 2019 at 12:00 and will re-open on Tuesday, 23 April 2019 at 8:00.

 
We would appreciate it if you could kindly inform all persons in your institutions.

 

Wishing you safe travels over the Easter holidays.

 

Yours sincerely

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

19 February 2019

 

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

 

Amendment of the dates for examinations to be written in May 2019

 

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Circular is to: 

Inform the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions and all stakeholders about the amendment of the dates for the examinations which were due to be written on 08 and 10 May 2019 respectively.

 

2. BACKGROUND

The President of the Republic of South Africa announced during the State of the Nation address (SONA) that the National Elections will be held on 08 May 2019. As this coincides with the South African Nursing Council examinations scheduled for that date, it became prudent to amend the examination dates in order to accommodate this significant event and afford all concerned the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to vote. 
Therefore, the May 2019 examinations will be written as follows:

•	2.1. FIRST-YEAR EXAMINATION FOR THE BRIDGING COURSE FOR ENROLLED NURSES LEADING TO REGISTRATION AS GENERAL NURSE OR PSYCHIATRIC NURSE

DATE	PAPER	TIME
10 May 2019	Paper 1	09:00 – 12:00
13 May 2019	Paper 2	09:00 – 12:00

 

•	2.2. FINAL EXAMINATION FOR THE COURSE LEADING TO REGISTRATION AS MIDWIFE  REGULATION: R.254 OF 14 FEBRUARY 1975 (AS AMENDED)

DATE	PAPER	TIME
06 May 2019	Paper 1	09:00 – 12:00
10 May 2019	Paper 2	09:00 – 12:00
13 May 2019	Paper 3	09:00 – 12:00

 

•	2.3. FINAL EXAMINATION FOR THE COURSE LEADING TO REGISTRATION AS PSYCHIATRIC NURSE [ONE-YEAR COURSE] – REGULATION: R.880 OF 02 MAY 1975 (AS AMENDED)

 

DATE	PAPER	TIME
06 May 2019	Paper 1	09:00 – 12:00
10 May 2019	Paper 1	09:00 – 12:00
13 May 2019	Paper 2	09:00 – 12:00

 

3. IMPORTANT TO NOTE

3.1. Kindly ensure that all the Students are duly informed of the new dates of the examinations.
3.2. None of the other examinations dates for 2019 are affected by this notice.

 

4. IMPLEMENTATION DATE

This Circular becomes effective and implementable on the date of publication.

For further information in respect of this Circular, you are advised to contact the SANC Senior Manager: Education and Training, Ms SJ Nxumalo at (012) 420 1022 or [email protected]

 

Yours sincerely

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

19 February 2019

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

 

SANC’s new logo and slogan

This year marks the celebration of the SANC’s 75th anniversary and befitting this milestone the SANC proudly introduces its new logo and slogan – a new identity that reflects its evolution yet emphasises its mandate. The SANC launched its new logo and slogan on 28 January 2019. The symbolism of the logo is explained below.

 

Yours sincerely

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

4 February 2019

 

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

 

Provisions of nursing programmes

 

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Circular is to: 

1.1 Update/remind the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and other relevant stakeholders about the provisions of the following nursing programmes:

– Bridging course for Enrolled Nurses leading to registration as a General/Psychiatric Nurse; 
– Diploma Course in Midwifery for registration as a Midwife.

1.2 Inform the National Department of Health, the Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and other relevant stakeholders of an amended Learner Application form, which should be submitted to the South African Nursing Council (SANC) upon application for registration of learners with the SANC.

 

2. LEGISLATED DURATION OF THE RELEVANT PROGRAMMES

2.1. Bridging course for Enrolled Nurses leading to registration as a General/Psychiatric Nurse  This programme is regulated by the Regulations relating to the minimum requirements for a Bridging Course for Enrolled Nurses leading to registration as a General Nurse or a Psychiatric Nurse (Government Notice Regulation No.683 of 14 April 1989, as amended). In terms of Regulation 6 (1) of these regulations, the duration of this programme shall be two academic years. An “academic year” as defined in these regulations “shall mean a period of at least 44 weeks in any calendar year”.

2.2. Diploma course in Midwifery for registration as a Midwife This programme is regulated by the Regulations relating to the minimum requirements for a Diploma course in Midwifery for registration as a Midwife (Government Notice Regulation No. 254 of 10 March 1978, as amended). In terms of Regulation 4 (1) of these regulations, the duration of the course shall be two years.  This regulation must be read in conjunction with Regulation 7 of these regulations, which deals with exemptions. One such exemption is provided for in Regulation 7 (2), as follows: “A student who is a registered general nurse or a registered psychiatric nurse, is exempted from one (1) year of the prescribed period for the course”.

 

3. IMPLICATIONS 
Based on the content under point 2 above, the South African Nursing Council would like to remind all Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) that are still offering the above-mentioned programmes of the following:

	3.1 Students are required to undergo the above-mentioned programmes on a full-time basis, as it is practically impossible for any person in employment, especially full-time employment, to achieve all the theoretical and practical requirements of the programmes within the prescribed time frames. The programme shall therefore not be undertaken on a part-time basis.
	3.2 The persons in charge of NEIs, who are responsible for signing the learner application forms, must ensure that employed learners have been granted study leave by their employers and must attach such proof upon submission of the respective learners’ application forms to the SANC, failing which the applications will not be processed. In addition, each learner must declare that he/she is undergoing the programme on a full-time basis.
	3.3 The Learner Application form has been amended to capture the above requirements. The amended form can be accessed under the “Services” link on the home page of the SANC website (www.sanc.co.za) and thereafter by clicking on the “Learners” link on the menu. A sample is attached to this circular as Annexure A, for ease of reference.
	3.4 The persons in charge of NEIs, who are responsible for submission of learner applications to the SANC, should also in their covering letters to the SANC declare that the listed learners are undergoing the programme on a full-time basis.
	3.5 Please note that, should it be discovered that learners followed these full-time programmes while in full-time employment, it would amount to the requirements of the programmes not having been complied with. This would result in the SANC invoking Section 44 (1) (i) of the Nursing Act (Act No, 33 of 2005) which states that “The Council may instruct the Registrar to remove from the register the name of any practitioner whose registration is proved to the satisfaction of the Council to have been made in error or through fraudulent misrepresentation or concealment of material facts or information”.  Consequently, the NEIs involved in such incidents would thereafter be deemed fully responsible for the affected persons and any potential litigation that may ensue.
	3.6 Nursing Education Institutions that were approved by the Council to offer these programmes using a decentralized model, are not exempted from the applicability of these requirements.

4. IMPLEMENTATION DATE
This Circular becomes implementable and valid on the date of issue.

For further information on this Circular, you are advised to contact the Senior Manager: Education and Training, Ms SJ Nxumalo at (012) 420 1022 or at [email protected]

Yours sincerely

 

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council

 

 

4 February 2019

 

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

 

Provisions of nursing programmes

 

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Circular is to: 

•	1.1 Update/remind the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and other relevant stakeholders about the provisions of the following nursing programmes:

– Bridging course for Enrolled Nurses leading to registration as a General/Psychiatric Nurse; 
– Diploma Course in Midwifery for registration as a Midwife.

•

1.2 Inform the National Department of Health, the Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and other relevant stakeholders of an amended Learner Application form, which should be submitted to the South African Nursing Council (SANC) upon application for registration of learners with the SANC.

 

2. LEGISLATED DURATION OF THE RELEVANT PROGRAMMES

•

2.1. Bridging course for Enrolled Nurses leading to registration as a General/Psychiatric Nurse  This programme is regulated by the Regulations relating to the minimum requirements for a Bridging Course for Enrolled Nurses leading to registration as a General Nurse or a Psychiatric Nurse (Government Notice Regulation No.683 of 14 April 1989, as amended). In terms of Regulation 6 (1) of these regulations, the duration of this programme shall be two academic years. An “academic year” as defined in these regulations “shall mean a period of at least 44 weeks in any calendar year”.

•

2.2. Diploma course in Midwifery for registration as a Midwife This programme is regulated by the Regulations relating to the minimum requirements for a Diploma course in Midwifery for registration as a Midwife (Government Notice Regulation No. 254 of 10 March 1978, as amended). In terms of Regulation 4 (1) of these regulations, the duration of the course shall be two years.  This regulation must be read in conjunction with Regulation 7 of these regulations, which deals with exemptions. One such exemption is provided for in Regulation 7 (2), as follows: “A student who is a registered general nurse or a registered psychiatric nurse, is exempted from one (1) year of the prescribed period for the course”.

 

3. IMPLICATIONS 
Based on the content under point 2 above, the South African Nursing Council would like to remind all Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) that are still offering the above-mentioned programmes of the following:

•	3.1 Students are required to undergo the above-mentioned programmes on a full-time basis, as it is practically impossible for any person in employment, especially full-time employment, to achieve all the theoretical and practical requirements of the programmes within the prescribed time frames. The programme shall therefore not be undertaken on a part-time basis.
•	3.2 The persons in charge of NEIs, who are responsible for signing the learner application forms, must ensure that employed learners have been granted study leave by their employers and must attach such proof upon submission of the respective learners’ application forms to the SANC, failing which the applications will not be processed. In addition, each learner must declare that he/she is undergoing the programme on a full-time basis.
•	3.3 The Learner Application form has been amended to capture the above requirements. The amended form can be accessed under the “Services” link on the home page of the SANC website (www.sanc.co.za) and thereafter by clicking on the “Learners” link on the menu. A sample is attached to this circular as Annexure A, for ease of reference.
•	3.4 The persons in charge of NEIs, who are responsible for submission of learner applications to the SANC, should also in their covering letters to the SANC declare that the listed learners are undergoing the programme on a full-time basis.
•	3.5 Please note that, should it be discovered that learners followed these full-time programmes while in full-time employment, it would amount to the requirements of the programmes not having been complied with. This would result in the SANC invoking Section 44 (1) (i) of the Nursing Act (Act No, 33 of 2005) which states that “The Council may instruct the Registrar to remove from the register the name of any practitioner whose registration is proved to the satisfaction of the Council to have been made in error or through fraudulent misrepresentation or concealment of material facts or information”.  Consequently, the NEIs involved in such incidents would thereafter be deemed fully responsible for the affected persons and any potential litigation that may ensue.
•	3.6 Nursing Education Institutions that were approved by the Council to offer these programmes using a decentralized model, are not exempted from the applicability of these requirements.

 

4. IMPLEMENTATION DATE
This Circular becomes implementable and valid on the date of issue.

For further information on this Circular, you are advised to contact the Senior Manager: Education and Training, Ms SJ Nxumalo at (012) 420 1022 or at [email protected]

Yours sincerely

(Signed)

Ms SA Mchunu
Registrar and CEO
South African Nursing Council