Pharmaciae (SAPC) | Council decisions (Oct 2017

Decisions taken at Council meetings October 2017, February and May 2018

Applicants with a qualification obtained outside of South Africa

The Office of the Registrar received applications from foreign-qualified candidates who wished to be registered as pharmacists or pharmacy support personnel in South Africa. Council has previously approved Guidelines for persons who hold qualifications in pharmacy obtained outside the Republic, as well as criteria to be used in the evaluation of these applications. In July 2016, Council resolved that pharmacists with foreign qualifications be granted four attempts in each paper and a maximum of four years from the date of approval to pass the professional examinations. For all applicants requiring registration as pharmacy support personnel this process should include the completion of a module in South African law and ethics.

In October 2017, February and May 2018 Council resolved that-

Mr LJ Lerotholi be registered as a pharmacist intern after successfully completing the professional examinations and be required to complete a minimum of six months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy. The candidate is also required to successfully complete the pre-registration evaluation, i.e. successfully complete the pre-registration examination and all continuing professional development (CPD) requirements or provide documentary evidence of compliance to the CPD requirements in the country of origin and submit one progress report prior to registration as a pharmacist;
Messrs SR Kuppireddy, SSH Patel, SK Thokala, ZH Sherazi, AF Ndhlovu, A Kaushal, CC Teodor, AM Pyarali and Messes CR Wieszner, SY Patel, AA Hafeji, CA Ezeogu, AI Bhana, RK Bhoopathi, MT Abdel Rhman and CC Chirowamhangu be registered as pharmacist interns after successfully completing the professional examinations and be required to complete a minimum of 12 months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy. The candidates are also required to successfully complete the pre-registration evaluation, i.e. successfully complete the pre-registration examination and all CPD requirements or provide documentary evidence of compliance with the CPD requirements in their country of origin and submit all progress reports prior to registration as pharmacists;
Mr DR Dohwe be registered as a pharmacist intern after successfully completing the professional examinations and be required to complete a minimum of 6 months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy, complete pre-registration evaluation i.e. successfully complete the pre-registration examination, submit 6 CPD entries from compulsory competence standards 1 to 7 and be competent in 4 of them; and have favourable progress reports submitted by the tutor at 12 and 24 weeks, and the summary of outcomes at 24 weeks prior to registration as a pharmacist;
Ms C Ngairongwe be registered as a learner post-basic pharmacist’s assistant and be required to complete a module on Pharmacy Law and Ethics with an accredited provider. The candidate will also be required to complete a minimum of 6 months in-service training at a registered training facility under the supervision of an approved tutor who must submit a 4 months’ progress report. The six months in-service training to be completed for the registration as a pharmacist’s assistant in the category post-basic does not exonerate the applicant from the full period approved for internship.

Alternative assessment for interns not successful in written examinations

Council is most often faced with a challenge of interns not passing the pre-registration examination after several attempts and in 2004, Council implemented a supplementary evaluation for candidates who had completed 12 months’ internship and failed the written examination more than once. In October 2017 Council resolved that an oral examination be conducted for interns who have attempted the examination more than twice, completed 12 months of internship, successfully submitted all required CPD entries and have been found competent, have favourable progress reports and have attended a revision session arranged by the Office of the Registrar prior to the oral examination. Interns who are not successful in two attempts of the oral examination will be subjected to remediation.

Pre-registration examinations and condonation

The implementation of online examinations has put Council in a position to conduct pre-registration examinations more frequently, which will benefit interns in progressing timely in their careers. Council in October 2017 resolved that the frequency of conducting pre-registration examinations be increased to quarterly, i.e. in March, June, September and early December, interns who obtained 23 out of 40 marks for paper 1 and 24 out of 50 marks for paper 2 be condoned and that condoning of interns be implemented from the July 2017 pre-registration examination onwards.

Accreditation/monitoring visit to the Health Science Academy

Council conducted the accreditation/monitoring visit to the Health Science Academy (HSA) on 25-26 May 2017. The purpose of the visit was to monitor the delivery of the National Certificate; Further Education and Training: Pharmacist Assistance and Dispensing courses by the HSA. Council in October 2017 resolved that the report on the accreditation/monitoring visit to the HSA, the executive summary and the verification report be approved.

Accreditation/monitoring visit to Abaluleki Professional Consulting–University of Fort Hare Consortium

Council conducted the accreditation/monitoring visit to the APC–UFH Consortium on 29-30 June 2017. The purpose of the visit was to monitor the delivery of the National Certificate: Pharmacist Assistance (Institutional Sector). Council in October 2017 resolved that the reports together with the verification report on the accreditation/monitoring visit to the APC–UFH Consortium be approved.

Accreditation/monitoring visit to the Tshwane University of Technology

Council conducted an accreditation/monitoring visit to the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) on 28 August to 1 September 2017. Council visits TUT yearly, following their accreditation as the provider of the BPharm programme in 2015, until the first graduates are produced by the university. Council in February 2018 resolved that the report on the accreditation/monitoring visit be approved and also be required to implement all the resolutions of Council by their next annual monitoring visit. Furthermore, Council in May 2018 resolved that the response by TUT to the report on the accreditation/monitoring visit be approved.

Accreditation/monitoring to Nelson Mandela University for the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme

The South African Pharmacy Council delegation visited the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) on 23-27 October 2017 in terms of the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974. The purpose of the 2017 visit was to monitor progress on shortcomings identified in 2013 as well as any new developments in the department and the university that might impact on the quality of the learning programme. Council in February 2018 resolved that the report together with the executive summary on accreditation/monitoring visit be approved. Furthermore, Council in May 2018 resolved that the response by NMU to the report on the accreditation/monitoring visit be approved.

Accreditation/ monitoring visit to Rhodes University

The South African Pharmacy Council delegation visited Rhodes University on 18 – 22 September 2017 in terms of the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974, as amended. The purpose of the visit was to monitor the progress on shortcomings identified in 2013 as well as any new developments in the department and the university that might impact on the quality of the learning programme. Council in February 2018 resolved that the report together with the executive summary on accreditation/monitoring visit be approved. Furthermore, Council in May 2018 resolved that the response by Rhodes University to the report on the accreditation/monitoring visit be approved.

Accreditation/monitoring visit to Nelson Mandela University for the Higher Certificate in Pharmacy Support and the Advanced Certificate in Pharmacy Technical Support

The South African Pharmacy Council delegation visited Nelson Mandela University (NMU) on 23-27 October 2017 in terms of the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974. The purpose of the visit was to monitor progress on the shortcomings identified in 2014 as well as any new developments in the department and the university that might impact on the quality of the learning programme. Council in February 2018 resolved that the report together with the executive summary on accreditation/monitoring visit be approved. Furthermore, Council in May 2018 resolved that the response by NMU to the report on the accreditation/monitoring visit be approved.

Request for extension of accreditation period for Pharmacy Education International

Pharmacy Education International (PEI) was accredited by Council from 11 September 2012 until 11 September 2017 to provide a course, Dispensing for Health Practitioners: Ensuring effective therapy by optimal drug use. PEI has advised the Office of the Registrar that they are planning to deliver the course on an e-learning platform in partnership with other service providers and using multiple sites. The provider subsequently requested Council to extend their accreditation for six (6) months, until 11 March 2018, in order to allow them to compile the application for re-accreditation in line with the criteria. In February 2018 Council resolved that the accreditation of PEI be extended until 11 March 2018.

Late booking fee for the pre-registration examination

Council has implemented online examinations from 2017 and have signed memoranda of understanding (MoU) with universities to hire their computer laboratories for these examinations. According to the signed MoU, Council is required to provide details on the number of persons sitting for each examination to the service provider in writing, no less than 10 working days prior to the date of each examination, this is to allow universities to arrange examination venues with adequate computers and access to their systems. Interns are required to book online on the secure site to write examinations. During the intern workshops and in the intern/tutor manual, interns are informed on the requirement to book to write the examination and that the booking must be completed at least two weeks prior to the examination date. This requirement makes it possible for Council to provide the number of interns to the examination venues as per the MoU. The Office of the Registrar often receives requests from interns who have missed the examination booking deadline, to be added to the examination list for that examination, the last minute adjustments to accommodate these interns has been administratively challenging for the office and some of the examination venues. Council in February 2018 resolved that the booking to write the examination be closed a month before the examination, a late booking fee of R1000,00 be charged for bookings submitted less than a month up to 14 days before the examination and bookings submitted less than 14 days before the examination not be accepted.

Accreditation/monitoring visit to Sefako Makgatho Health Science University

The South African Pharmacy Council delegation visited Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) on 16 to 20 October 2017 in terms of the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974, as amended. The purpose of the visit was to monitor the implementation of the curriculum approved by Council; monitor the delivery of the program for 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students; verify the contents of the response to the report submitted to Council on the shortcomings identified in the previous visit; accredit the programme for 4th year students to be implemented in 2018 as well as monitor the remaining modules run by SMU and how the programme for pipeline students is delivered. Council in February 2018 resolved that the report on the accreditation/monitoring visit together with the executive summary be approved. Furthermore, Council in May 2018 resolved that the response by SMU to the report on the accreditation/monitoring visit be approved.

Assessor/intern consultation for not yet competent CPDs

Interns are required to submit eight CPD entries and be found competent in 6 of them. Before interns write the pre-registration exam, they are required to have submitted at least four CPD entries and interns are also told to submit one CPD entry per month. This means that by August, they would have submitted all eight required CPDs. Although most interns meet these requirements and ensure that they are competent by the last submission deadline, some interns submit the rest of their CPDs late and start getting concerned about their ‘not yet competent’ CPDs towards the end of the year. This results in assessors and moderators being required to do CPD assessments and moderation during December. In January 2017, the assessors and moderators requested Council to consider levying a fee to interns who submit their CPDs after the last submission deadline because being required to do assessments throughout December has interfered with their holidays. In May 2017 Council resolved that this not be accepted and that assessments not be conducted in December. A number of interns did not submit or were found not yet competent in CPDs by 30 November 2017 when the CPD results were released and they appealed to the Office of the Registrar to assist them in becoming competent so that they do not lose their community service posts. In December 2017, the office facilitated consultations for interns with assessors to assist them. Assessors reported that they spent a minimum of one hour per CPD entry when they conducted intern consultations during December 2017, with some interns requiring assistance in all 6 CPDs to be deemed competent. In May 2018 Council resolved that a fee be levied to interns who request consultation with assessors/moderators for their ‘not yet competent’ CPD entries and that these interns requesting a consultation must have submitted a minimum of four CPDs. The cut off for consultation is the last working day in October of each year.

Accreditation of short courses: Medicine registration for orthodox medicines and Medicine registration for biological medicines from Quad Pharma CC

Quad Pharma CC applied for accreditation/approval of courses ‘Medicine registration for orthodox medicines’ and ‘Medicine registration for biological medicines’ in August 2017. In May 2018 Council resolved that the short courses be approved.

Accreditation/monitoring visit to Mpiloroyal College of Health Education as a provider of the qualification: National Certificate: Pharmacist Assistance (institutional pharmacy)

Mpiloroyal College of Health Education was accredited as a provider of the qualification, National Certificate: Pharmacist Assistance (institutional pharmacy) from 7 March 2017 to 30 June 2018 and have since not registered any learners. The provider is scheduled for a monitoring visit in 2018 which will not be beneficial as the visits are intended to monitor the offering of the programme, which Mpiloroyal College of Health Education is currently not offering. Council in May 2018 resolved that Mpiloroyal College of Health Education not have an accreditation /monitoring visit in 2018, but that their accreditation shall be retained until expiry on 30 June 2018.