Sign up with GoogleGauteng could face a shortage of health professionals as more than 3 000 face being struck off the register for not paying their annual fees. They had until close of office on Friday to do so.
According to the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA), it will be forced to erase 11 057 practitioners countrywide from its register, the largest number being 3 286 from Gauteng.
These include dentists, medical doctors, psychologists, paramedics, ambulance assistants, radiographers and optometrists.
Of the 3 286 health professionals from Gauteng who could be struck off, more than 1 000 are basic ambulance assistants. There are just under 500 doctors, over 200 ambulance emergency assistants and 164 psychologists.
"The number is scary. In other years we had about 8 000 or 9 000 health practitioners who hadn't paid," said Tendai Dhliwayo, spokesperson for the HPCSA.
He said the deadline for fees had been April 1 and the HPCSA had given practitioners sufficient time to do this. Those who do not pay their fees by close of business on Friday will be struck off the register and will have to pay their outstanding fees as well as penalty fees before being reinstated.
He said KwaZulu Natal was the province with the second highest rate of non-paying practitioners, with 2 102 likely to be struck off the register. In the Western Cape, 1 428 could be struck off.
"Those who apply for their names to be restored to the register within six months after erasure will pay twice the applicable annual fee for the current year, as well as the outstanding fees.
"After a period of six months but within 12 months of the erasure date, the amount will be equivalent to four times the applicable annual fees as well as the outstanding fees. Those who pay after 12 months will pay five times the applicable annual fees as well as the outstanding amount," said Dhliwayo.
The HPCSA could not monitor if practitioners struck off the register today were still practising, and it was their and their employers' responsibility to make sure they paid the fees.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20061006123010700C375100
According to the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA), it will be forced to erase 11 057 practitioners countrywide from its register, the largest number being 3 286 from Gauteng.
These include dentists, medical doctors, psychologists, paramedics, ambulance assistants, radiographers and optometrists.
Of the 3 286 health professionals from Gauteng who could be struck off, more than 1 000 are basic ambulance assistants. There are just under 500 doctors, over 200 ambulance emergency assistants and 164 psychologists.
"The number is scary. In other years we had about 8 000 or 9 000 health practitioners who hadn't paid," said Tendai Dhliwayo, spokesperson for the HPCSA.
He said the deadline for fees had been April 1 and the HPCSA had given practitioners sufficient time to do this. Those who do not pay their fees by close of business on Friday will be struck off the register and will have to pay their outstanding fees as well as penalty fees before being reinstated.
He said KwaZulu Natal was the province with the second highest rate of non-paying practitioners, with 2 102 likely to be struck off the register. In the Western Cape, 1 428 could be struck off.
"Those who apply for their names to be restored to the register within six months after erasure will pay twice the applicable annual fee for the current year, as well as the outstanding fees.
"After a period of six months but within 12 months of the erasure date, the amount will be equivalent to four times the applicable annual fees as well as the outstanding fees. Those who pay after 12 months will pay five times the applicable annual fees as well as the outstanding amount," said Dhliwayo.
The HPCSA could not monitor if practitioners struck off the register today were still practising, and it was their and their employers' responsibility to make sure they paid the fees.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20061006123010700C375100