Dear Colleagues

The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in support of the Human Science Research Council (HSRC) request your participation in a brief survey that looks at how COVID-19 is impacting on healthcare workers.

Healthcare practitioners play a vital role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and in the process some of them get infected. The HPCSA in its role as regulator is concerned about the general safety and wellbeing of healthcare practitioners. Given the far-reaching implications of the pandemic, the HSRC in partnership with the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Medicine has embarked on a survey to gain an understanding on how the virus is affecting the South African healthcare workers – both physically and emotionally. 

The survey will look at some of the following issues:

• Different perspectives of healthcare workers and supporting staff in the health sector
• Current roles in the healthcare sector
• COVID-19 training of healthcare workers
• Levels of knowledge, awareness and attitudes to COVID 19
• The use and access to Personal Protective Equipment in the workplace
• Perceptions of risk in the workplace
• Concerns in relation to COVID-19
• Health and psychosocial wellbeing of the respondents

The survey is conducted on a social media platform Moya Messaging, which can be accessed data-free. To participate in this anonymous survey, please click on the following link: www.hsrc.ac.za/heroes.

The protocol for this work was approved by the Human Sciences Research Ethics Committee, ref REC 5/03/20. Should you have any questions or need any further information, please contact the lead researcher, Professor Priscilla Reddy on 082 460 8095 or preddy@hsrc.ac.za.

The data from this survey will be used to advise the government on how to capacitate healthcare workers to ensure that they are able to deliver quality healthcare services, particularly as South Africa prepares for a possible increase in COVID-19 diagnoses later in the year.

The HPCSA continues to support all endeavours aimed at looking after the health and well- being of its healthcare practitioners. 

All the best
The HPCSA Team 

Stories and PDF resources

Kids on Lockdown Poster

Since sharing the immediate virtual consultation reimbursement policy, Discovery has engaged extensively with the profession to understand adjustments required in consideration of current and future demands specific to tele-therapy. Discovery has now confirmed changes in this policy that were developed in close collaboration with representative groups, including PsySSA.

As PsySSA, we are pleased that the new policy and rates reflect the importance and equitable nature of the current psychological services offered by practitioners, especially in the era of COVID-19, when a range of psychosocial supports will be necessary within South Africa. PsySSA will continue to engage other Medical Aids to ensure that this is a sector-wide outcome and that all South Africans will still be able to access quality psychological services from practitioners during this period.

As PsySSA, we are even more pleased at the plural nature of organisations and organic groups that have coalesced to ensure that this outcome has been reached, and we look forward to a continued engagement with other formations to extend the nature of psychosocial support that may be offered, beyond traditional psychotherapeutic services, to South Africa in this time of need.

Please see the communique received from Discovery below

TO PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS / SOCIETIES

Council  approved guidelines in terms of various registration, annual fee and ethical related matters arising from the COVID -19 pandemic.

Please familiarise yourselves with the content as it impacts on annual fee payment, registration and restoration amended procedures  and various other important professional and ethical matters.

The Board wishes you well during this period of uncertainties, we are in this together !

Contact details for the relevant sections are reflected below: