 President
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JoBurg
Durban
Sasch
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
It is hard to believe that this is my last President’s Corner as the time has really flown by. My term has been both eventful and exciting. I took office at a difficult time in our profession as a result of which far more time and energy than I had originally anticipated has been expended on the Society. However, it has been a privilege to have played a role, together with my fellow office bearers, in the continued growth and development of our Society and profession. I have emphasised throughout my term that PsySSA is a membership driven society and the “trade union” for our profession. The highlight of my term has therefore been my interaction with you, our members, and I want to thank you all once again for your feedback, input and support. Without this the Society cannot serve your needs and interests.
In reflecting on my term it is heartening to see that the Society membership is increasing, as are the benefits of membership, which now include free regional CPD activities, as well as the most affordable and comprehensive professional indemnity cover available to psychologists.
Further international links have been forged as during my term a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the British Psychological Society and one will shortly be signed with the Zimbabwean Psychological Association. PsySSA is also bidding to host the International Congress of Applied Psychology in South Africa in 2010. Nationally, the Society continues to enjoy a prominent profile and the leadership has maintained interactions with relevant Government bodies and leaders, such as the Ministers of Health and Education, and was also involved in the launch of the Moral Regeneration Movement earlier on this year. Furthermore, changes in judicial legislature have been successfully lobbied for. As a result Clinical Psychologists can now determine competency to stand trial, whereas previously only psychiatrists were allowed to do this. The fight for limited prescription rights for psychologists continues and the matter will be dealt with by the HPSCA at its next meeting. Our community involvement is also increasing and an application has been made for three internship sites on the PsySSA Counselling Clinic on the Phelophepa Health Train.
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The PsySSA Congress continues to be an important annual event on the Congress calendar and, as is evident in the programme included in this edition of PsyTalk, has an exciting and stimulating range of scientific and professional workshops, symposia and presentations by both national and international speakers. In addition, Congress affords an opportunity for members to network with each other and just take time off from busy practices, teaching, research and other work. As you know PsySSA also provides workshop activities, and this year a series of Ethic workshops will be held in all the main centres. This will give our members their full component of annual ethics CPD points.
During my term of office I have been privileged to have been supported by a team that assisted me in numerous ways. In particular I want to thank the PsySSA Executive and Council for their time and energy. However, none of this work would have been possible without the efficiency and dedication of the PsySSA Office staff who have frequently gone beyond the call of duty in supporting and assisting not only myself, but my fellow office bearers and the PsySSA membership.
The Society is fortunate to have as incoming President Dr Terry Mashego, who brings to the role a formidable range of skills and experience. I would like to take this opportunity to wish her and the incoming Executive and Council everything of the best for their term of office. Finally I want to extend my good wishes to all our members and urge that you keep working together to ensure that our Society and profession continue to evolve and develop, so that we can face the challenges of our developing country and ultimately meet the needs of all our people.
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