THE HEALTH COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER SECTION 15(5)(F) OF THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS ACT, 1974 (ACT NO.56 OF 1974) AND INCLUDES A JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED UNDER SECTION 15B (1)(F) OF THE ACT. The Health Committee regulates/advices impaired practitioners who

suffer from mental or physical condition or the abuse of or dependence on chemical substances, which affects the competence, attitude, judgment or performance of a student or a person registered in terms of the Health Professions Council Act, (Act 56 of 1974) section 51.

The Health Committee is a non-punitive Committee which was established to manage the compliance of the practitioners while also protecting the public. The Committee also focuses on the refinement of the regulations and procedures affecting the day to day functions and

operations of the Health Committee.

FUNCTIONS OF THE

HEALTH COMMITTEE

Establish policies and procedures and to enlist cooperation and support for the prevention or alleviation of circumstances which may lead to impairment in students and practitioners.

Establish mechanisms and procedures for the early identification of impairment in students and practitioners

.

FUNCTIONS OF THE HEALTH

COMMITTEE (cont.)

Implement procedures for handling crisis situations which may threaten patient safety and care.

Undertake informal assessments of reports on alleged impaired students and practitioners, to make findings with regard to impairment and , if required, to impose conditions of registration or practice on such persons aimed at protection of patients and treatment of impaired persons.

FUNCTIONS OF THE HEALTH COMMITTEE

Appoint investigation committees on an Ad Hoc basis to undertake formal investigations into reports on alleged impairment in the absence of voluntary cooperation of students or practitioners, to make findings with regard to impairment and, if required, to impose conditions of registration or practice aimed at protection of patients and treatment of impaired students or practitioners

Consider applications by students or practitioners who were found to

be impaired to have their conditions of registration or practice amended or to have such conditions revoked.

Oversee the implementation of treatment programmes of impaired students or practitioners and to review the position of each such student or practitioner at least every three years.

PROCESSES OF THE HEALTH COMMITTEE

Complaints regarding alleged impairment are lodged with the Health Committee secretariat;

The matter is reported to the Health Committee for consideration during its next meeting;

An informal investigation in terms of SECTION 51 of the Health Professions Act is put into place;

One specialist is appointed by the Committee to assess the practitioner for the alleged impairment, the practitioner appoints a second specialist of his choice.

The above mentioned specialists are given reporting guidelines for the assessment;

PROCESSES (cont.)

The practitioner is informed of the complaint and is requested to undergo an assessment with the appointed specialists;

The assessment reports from the two appointed specialists are

submitted to the Committee for consideration;

Should the committee determine that an impairment exists, the practitioner will be declared impaired. The impairment is then processed on the HPCSA administration system against the practitioners name;

The practitioner would then be required to work under supervision and to undergo treatment with the treating practitioner/institution approved by the Committee;

PROCESSES (cont.)

The Committee monitors and enforces compliance by Practitioners.

If impairment doesn’t exist, the Committee dismisses the case and the

practitioner is informed accordingly; The assessment reports from the two appointed specialists are

submitted to the Committee for consideration;

Should the committee determine that an impairment exists, the

practitioner will be declared impaired. The impairment is then processed on the HPCSA administration system against the practitioners name;

PROCESSES OF THE

HEALTH COMMITTEE

The practitioner would then be required to work under supervision and to undergo treatment with the treating practitioner/institution approved by the Committee;

The Committee monitors and

enforces compliance by Practitioner.

PROCESSES OF THE HEALTH

COMMITTEE (cont.)

If impairment doesn’t exist, the Committee dismisses the case and the practitioner is informed accordingly.

Should the practitioner refuse to subject himself/herself to the informal investigation, the Committee will do a formal investigation in terms of SECTION 51 of the Health Professions Act

PROCESSES (cont.) The practitioner will be sent a notice to

subject himself/herself to do the assessment within 30 days;

Should the practitioner refuse to comply with the notice given;

The practitioners name will be suspended from the register of health practitioners until such time that the practitioner is assessed by the two specialists and properly diagnosed.

RECORD OF IMPAIRMENT

Me

dic

al P

ract

itio

ne

r

Stu

de

nt

Rad

iogr

aph

er

Bas

ic A

mb

ula

nce

Ass

ista

nt AN

T

Inte

rn S

tud

en

t

Psc

ych

olo

gist

Inte

rn

Me

dic

al P

ract

itio

ne

rSt

ud

en

t

Ph

ysio

the

rap

ist

TT

233

1 1 7 3 6 26 3

2 1

STATISTICS - DIAGNOSIS

PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER NOS 8

DUAL DIAGNOSIS 37

PETHEDINE ABUSE 14

BIPOLAR MOOD DISORDER 25

ALCOHOL ABUSE 32

DEPRESSION 22

SCHIZOPHRENIA 19

FITNESS TO PRACTICE 3

SUBSTANCE ABUSE 34

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE 7

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS 1

HEAD INJURY 2

BACK OPERATION 2

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT 3

SPONDYLOARTHRITIS 1

POOR HEALTH CONDITION 2

EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS 1

OPIATES AUSE 2

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE 1

PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS 11

AMNESIA 1

PARALYSIS OF RIGHT ARM 1

NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS 1

QUADRAPLEGIC 1

TUBERCULOSIS 1

STROKE 1

DEMENTIA 1

METHYLPHENIDATE ABUSE 1

NARCOTIC ABUSE 1

SCHEDULE 7 DRUG ABUSE 1

CONGENITAL NYSTAGMUS 1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

PSY

CH

IATR

IC D

ISO

RD

ER N

OS

DU

AL

DIA

GN

OSI

S

PET

HED

INE

AB

USE

BIP

OLA

R M

OO

D D

ISO

RD

ER

ALC

OH

OL

AB

USE

DEP

RES

SIO

N

SCH

IZO

PH

REN

IA

FITN

ESS

TO P

RA

CTI

CE

SUB

STA

NC

E A

BU

SE

PR

ESC

RIP

TIO

N D

RU

G A

BU

SE

PO

ST T

RA

UM

ATI

C S

TRES

S

HEA

D IN

JUR

Y

BA

CK

OP

ERA

TIO

N

MO

TOR

VEH

ICLE

AC

CID

ENT

SPO

ND

YLO

AR

THR

ITIS

PO

OR

HEA

LTH

CO

ND

ITIO

N

EMO

TIO

NA

L P

RO

BLE

MS

OP

IATE

S A

USE

ALZ

HEI

MER

'S D

ISEA

SE

PSY

CH

IATR

IC IL

LNES

S

AM

NES

IA

PA

RA

LYSI

S O

F R

IGH

T A

RM

NEU

RO

LOG

ICA

L P

RO

BLE

MS

QU

AD

RA

PLE

GIC

TUB

ERC

ULO

SIS

STR

OK

E

DEM

ENTI

A

MET

HYL

PH

ENID

ATE

AB

USE

NA

RC

OTI

C A

BU

SE

SCH

EDU

LE 7

DR

UG

AB

USE

CO

NG

ENIT

AL

NYS

TAG

MU

S

REHABILITATION AND COMPLIANCE OF

PRACTITIONERS The following are the guidelines that should be followed during the

rehabilitation process after a practitioner has been declared impaired.

Three monthly progress reports should be submitted to the Health Committee by the treating doctor and the supervisor for a period of twelve months for consideration by the Committee;

If progress is observed and the practitioner is complying, the Health

Committee requires six monthly reports from the treating doctor and the supervisor for consideration during the second year ;

REHABILITATION AND COMPLIANCE OF

PRACTITIONERS

If progress is observed and the practitioner is complying, the Health Committee requires an annual report from the treating doctor and the supervisor for the third year;

An interview is conducted by the Health Committee and depending on the progress made in achieving rehabilitation, the conditions of service imposed upon the practitioner may be LIFTED.

If the practitioner does not comply with conditions of service, his/her name is suspended from the register until compliance is observed.

The Health Committee Secretariat can be contacted at 012 338 9447 and the regulations are accessible at www.hpcsa.co.za