 President
Letters
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Congress2002
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
For me a new year always represents a fresh start and a new chapter in life waiting to be written. Events this year seem to have unfolded more rapidly than ever and it is hard to believe that we are already at the second month of 2002! I would nevertheless like to extend further good wishes for 2002 to you. I hope that you were able to have some form of rest during the festive season and that you came back refreshed and ready to tackle a new year.
The PsySSA Offices reopened on January 8 and our team has been hard at work ever since. The Executive held its first meeting for the year on January 25 and, together with the PsySSA Office, has drawn up a plan for the year, using as a framework the PsySSA Strategic Pan that we devised last year. 2002 promises to be a busy and exciting year for our Society and profession. We will continue with the challenge of working together to advance psychology as a profession and to benefit you as a member, as well as informing public opinion and government policy on important issues. I would like to bring some of these exciting developments to your attention in this Corner. Others are covered in this issue of PsyTalk and further developments will be featured in future issues of PsyTalk.
Professional Benefits
PsySSA provides its members with a number of professional benefits and the PsySSA leadership constantly reviews these and looks for new benefits for you, our member. We have recently negotiated new professional indemnity insurance cover for you at a very competitive rate. Another exciting membership benefit is a free e-mail address that will bear your name followed by @PsySSA.com. The bulk of our membership comprises private practitioners and tariffs are an important issue. To ensure that the needs of private practitioners continue to be met, the Tariffs Committee has been expanded to include a regionally representative group of private practitioners who will work with Dr Malcolm to ensure that we continue to make gains in this very important area. In the eight years since the formation of PsySSA, there has been a four-fold increase in the scale of benefits payable to psychologists!
Useful Publications
A completely revised edition of the handbook “Starting Private Practice” will be ready by the end of next month. Furthermore, the 2002 copy of the “PsySSA Directory of Psychologists in Private Practice” has accompanied this issue of PsyTalk. The Directory is also available on the PsySSA website. The number of people listed increased almost three-fold during the past year. Various telephonic referrals received by members listed in the Directory and its usage by numerous agencies attest to its importance and value as a referral source. The SA Journal of Psychology remains one of the largest scientific publications in the country and on the continent. Besides the quarterly PsyTalk, the office sends out regular electronic notifications to members on issues affecting them. The website www.psych.co.za is regularly updated, and it now has a new and better look. I invite you to let me know what else you would like to see addressed in our various communications media.
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Community Involvement
We have all been horrified by the recent spate of sexual attacks on babies. PsySSA and the Professional Board for Psychology have taken the lead in this and, under the leadership of Dr Saths Cooper, has initiated a baseline study into sexual abuse against pre-pubescent children. Over 20 behavioural scientists are participating in the study and the preliminary findings will be communicated to government and the public next month, and will inform comprehensive study.
CPD
As you know continuing professional development finally becomes operational in April 2002. PsySSA is busy planning workshops and initiatives that will ensure that our members are able to easily earn their points. This will include both regular regional meetings and events, as well as national workshops.nAt the beginning of March, I will be visiting Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Pietersburg, and Durban. Should there be sufficient interest from other centres, these will also be visited. I see this as a valuable exercise during my term as it provides me with an opportunity to meet you, and get information from you as to the type of CPD activities you would like PsySSA to offer. In addition, I will be able to get input from you regarding the Society and what else you feel we should be doing for you. In this regard I would like to express my appreciation to those members who regularly correspond with the Office and me.
Your feedback, comments, and highlighting of important issues that need to be addressed by the Society are valuable and important if we as a Society are to continue to meet and address your needs. I look forward to further contact and communication with you during 2002 and urge you to take advantage of the various benefits available to members, some of which are advertised in this issue of PsyTalk.Y
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