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ARTICLES The Board, PsySSA & Professional Indemnity The Professional Board for Psychology has, over time, urged PsySSA to inform its members and the profession about the necessity for professional indemnity insurance. Apparently, there have been sharp increases in the number of complaints lodged with the HPCSA against psychologists over the last couple of years, and most psychologists don’t have any professional indemnity insurance. PsySSA has thoroughly investigated the matter and has already advised members to take such vital cover offered by different companies (although some of these benefit medical practitioners more than they do psychologists, are quite expensive and many exclusionary powers vest with the insurer). Sandy Jocelyn, the Durban psychologist who was sued in civil court for defamation for doing her duty and reporting suspected child abuse to the police, almost went bankrupt after protracted litigation. She had assumed that she had no need for indemnity insurance, as ’it would not happen’ to her! PsySSA assisted her in her legal defence and some four years later she won a High Court Appeal. Nevertheless, this psychologist was forced into debt to pay off huge amounts of money in legal fees. PsySSA is pleased to inform members that it is providing Professional Indemnity Insurance for members at a special annual premium of only R200. This is significantly cheaper than any other scheme available anywhere. It is also more comprehensive and there are no ’small print’ exclusions. This Professional Indemnity Insurance has been specially designed for PsySSA members and includes negligence, malpractice, legal representation and costs, defamation, claims against locums and employees, and retrospective cover for those who are already insured but who move to this unique and better scheme for psychologists. The USA’s largest medical malpractice insurer, which has an ’AA’ credit rating from Standard & Poor, will underwrite this wide-ranging Professional Indemnity Insurance. This is a membership benefit exclusively for PsySSA members and is in addition to other benefits already available to members, like specialized ethics workshops and Ethics Committee consultations, advice and resolution. Please contact Fatima at the PsySSA offices ASAP for further details.Y SA National Committee for IUPsyS A new South African National Committee for the International Union of Psychological Science has been appointed by the International Council on Science SA Board based at the National Research Foundation. The Committee comprises Dr Saths Cooper (Chair), Prof Norman Duncan (Univ of Venda), Prof Toko Mayekiso (Wits Univ), Ms Shoki Motlatle (Telkom), Prof Lionel Nicholas (Vice Chair), Mr Kopano Ratele (UWC), Prof Patrick Sibaya (Unizul) and Dr Ann Watts (PsySSA). The NRF states that it is very appreciative of the time and effort that Dr Cooper has devoted to the activities of the National Committee during the past. ”The National Committee has made good progress under your able guidance. The NRF has pleasure in inviting you to continue as Chairman of the National Committee for a further term, i.e. until December 2005.” Prof Nicholas will lead the SA delegation to the IUPsyS General Assembly in Singapore during the International Congress of Applied Psychology in July. Ms Motlatle and Mr Ratele are the other delegates.

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