Circular 6/2021 Implementation of POPI Act 2013

Circular 6/2021: Implementation of the POPI Act 2013 (Act 4 of 2013)


06 October 2021

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION (POPI) ACT, 2013 (ACT NO 4 OF 2013) 

 

TO:      NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

             PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH

             NURSING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

             ALL STAKEHOLDERS

 

IMPLEMENTATION OF PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION (POPI) ACT, 2013 (ACT NO 4 OF 2013)

 

  1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this circular is to inform the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions and other stakeholders about the implementation of the above-mentioned POPI Act, 2013 by the South African Nursing Council (SANC).

  1. PROMULGATION OF THE ACT

The POPI Act, 2013 was initially passed in 2013 and has since been implemented in stages. The last of these stages has had a very direct and profound impact on the way in which organizations and people deal with other people’s information.

  1. PROCLAMATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION- JULY 2021

As of the 1st of July 2021, Sections 55 to 109, Section 111 and Sections 114 (1), (2) and (3) commenced and on the 30th of June 2021 Sections 110 and 114 (4) commenced.

  1. IMPLEMENTATION BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL

The Registrar of the SANC must, in terms of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005) keep registers in respect of Nurse practitioners which information includes personal details of Nurses.

In line with the provisions of the POPI Act, 2013 the Registrar is appointed by the Information Regulator as the Information Officer, whose responsibilities flow from the Act.

In order to ensure compliance with these provisions, the SANC is taking the necessary steps to ensure its clients’ Personal Information remains protected. To this end, the SANC will henceforth not disclose any Personal Information in its custody to any third party, unless proper procedure is followed via a fully completed and signed Consent Form (see attached). Only information that has been consented to will then be provided to specifically authorized individuals. This may impact on certain services rendered by the SANC, especially those where a person attempts to solicit services from the SANC on a Nurse’s behalf. This will not affect the processes related to the payment of annual statutory registration fees by Employers on behalf of clients.

We would appreciate it if you could kindly share this information with all persons in your institutions.

For further information in respect of this Circular, you are advised to contact Mr. Benjamin Grobler, Senior Manager: Learner Affairs at (012) 420-1074 or on email address: [email protected]

Yours sincerely

Ms S.A. Mchunu

Registrar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Circular 5/2021 Re-scheduling of November 2021 examination

Circular 5/2021: Rescheduling of the November 2021 examination


5 October 2021

Re-scheduling of the November 2021 examinations

To:         National Department of Health

               Provincial Departments of Health

               Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs)

               All Stakeholders

 

SUBJECT:  RE-SCHEDULING OF THE NOVEMBER EXAMINATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL


  1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Circular is to:

  • Inform the National Department of Health, Provincial Departments of Health, Nursing Education Institutions (NEIs) and relevant stakeholders about the amendment of the dates for the South African Nursing Council (SANC) conducted examinations which are due to be written in November 2021.

 

  1. BACKGROUND
    • The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Minister, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma, has gazetted the 1st November 2021 as the date of local elections. This date coincides with the SANC examinations scheduled for that date.
    • It became prudent to amend the examination dates to accommodate the significant event and afford all concerned the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to vote. Therefore, the examinations that were due to be written in November 2021 will be written as follows:

 

 

 

Final examinations for the course leading to Registration as Midwife- Government Notice No. R254 of 14 February 1975 (as amended)

 

Date

Paper

Time

03/ 11/ 2021

Paper 1

09:00-12:00

05/ 11/ 2021

Paper 2

09:00-12:00

08/11/2021

Paper 3

09:00-12:00

 

Final examinations for the course leading to Registration as Psychiatric Nurse- – Government Notice No. R880 of 2 May 1975 (as amended)

 

Date

Paper

Time

03/ 11/ 2021

Paper 1

09:00-12:00

05/ 11/ 2021

Paper 2

09:00-12:00

08/11/2021

Paper 3

09:00-12:00

 

  1. IMPORTANT TO NOTE

3.1 Kindly ensure that all students are duly informed of the new dates of the examinations.

3.2 None of the other examinations dates for November 2021 are affected by this notice.

 

  1. IMPLEMENTATION DATE

This circular becomes effective and implementable on the date of publication.

 

For further information in respect of this Circular, you are advised to contact Ms A. Mnguni, SANC Senior Manager: Learner Affairs at (012) 420 1065 or on email address: [email protected]

 

Yours sincerely,

 ______________

MS SA MCHUNU                                                                                        

REGISTRAR AND CEO

SOUTH AFRICAN NURSING COUNCIL

For further information in respect of this Circular, you are advised to contact Ms A Mnguni, Senior Manager: Learner Affairs, on (012) 420 1065 or by email [email protected]

Circular 4/2021 The SANC Examination Schedule – 2022

Circular 4/2021: The SANC Examination Schedule – 2022


15 July 2021

The South African Nursing Council (SANC) Examination schedule – 2022

Click the link below to download the signed PDF of Circular 4/2021

Download PDF

 

Click the link below to download the signed PDF of Circular 4/2021 ERRATUM

Media Release 1/2021 The SANC – International Nurses Day 2021

Media Release 1/2021: INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY 2021


12 May 2021

FOR ATTENTION   :  NEWS EDITOR

SUBJECT                   :  INTERNATIONAL NURSES DAY 2021

DATE                           :  11 MAY 2021



International Nurses Day is celebrated globally on 12 May every year, which is the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. The theme for 2021 is
Nurses: A Voice to Lead – A vision for future healthcare. The theme is set by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and has the objective of showing how nursing will look into the future as well as how the profession will transform the next stage of healthcare.

The ICN emphasises that this global COVID-19 pandemic has shown the world the important role that nurses play in keeping people healthy across the lifespan. In 2021, the ICN will focus on the changes to and innovations in nursing and how this will ultimately shape the future of healthcare.

According to ICN, the International Nurses Day 2021 theme reflects on the impact of COVID-19 on the health system and the nursing profession and how these might be affected into the future. Nurses, as the largest healthcare profession, must play an integral part in planning the future of healthcare.

Ms Sizo Mchunu, SANC Registrar & CEO says: “As the statutory body, the SANC is committed to assist in ensuring production of competent nurse practitioners who will provide scientific, comprehensive, and quality nursing to patients, families and communities within the legal and ethical framework.

It is vital that the country trains enough nurse practitioners to replace those retiring so that the country continues to deliver quality care”, says Ms Mchunu.

Working as a nurse means you will be working shifts and long hours and night duty, dedicated solely to the well-being of the patients in your care. You will also work closely with other health professionals such as Doctors, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Dieticians, to mention a few.

The value of a true nurse lies in the ability to show respect for human life and dignity, social justice and integrity, and total commitment to patients and other healthcare users.

If you are that person, the nursing profession is awaiting you…

Visit www.sanc.co.za for the list of accredited Nursing Education Institutions and make the correct career choice today.

The SANC salutes all nurses who, despite daily challenges, always put the lives of the patients first.  We wish you a happy and blessed International Nurses Day.

ENDS

Issued by:

Mrs. Adri van Eeden

Senior Manager:  Marketing and Communication

South African Nursing Council

E-mail:  [email protected]

Website:  www.sanc.co.za

Tel:  012 426-9542

Official Spokesperson and person to be quoted:

Ms. S Mchunu

Registrar and CEO:  SA Nursing Council

For more information or to arrange for an interview with the Spokesperson, please contact Mrs. Adri van Eeden on Tel. (012) 426-9542 or email:  [email protected]

Nurses trade union holds Department of Health responsible for alleged negligence of baby leading to amputation

Nurses trade union holds Department of Health responsible for alleged negligence of baby leading to amputation

From: Mpumalanga News, 14 April 2021

The Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union (YNITU) encouraged the parents of the infant whose arm had to be amputated due to alleged negligence to sue the Mpumalanga Department of Health. The union alleged there was only one professional registered nurse and two junior nurses working with a junior doctor at the casualty ward on the day the little boy was admitted at the hospital. The union’s president, Lerato Mthunzi, said, “The staffing situation at the neonatal ward where the baby was transferred to following admission was also bad. The junior staff members supposed to work under supervision are thrown in the deep end, while being forced to work alone in crowded wards. “

Read More by clicking here…  

New nursing bursary system criticised

New nursing bursary system criticised

From: The Star, 08 April 2021

SONRI NAIDOO NURSING students in the public sector continue to express their frustration with the Department of Health, claiming the government’s new bursary system is exploitative. They say the system is “motivated by greed”, and described it as a “poor funding model”. The South African nursing education system was restructured in 2010, changing student nurses from supernumerary status to bursary holders. This saw the introduction of a new bursary system that removed certain benefits such as a pension fund, medical aid scheme and performance bonuses. The students also receive a stipend which they claim is not enough for accommodation, food, transport, textbooks and their uniform. 

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Probe into newborn’s death after mother ’sent to another hospital with umbilical cord still attached’

Probe into newborn’s death after mother ’sent to another hospital with umbilical cord still attached’

From: Independent Online, 06 April 2021

The provincial health department has committed to launching an investigation following the death of a newborn baby amid allegations of negligence by medical staff. This comes after Nerina Swartz, 37, from Elsies River, was allegedly turned away at Elsies River Day Hospital, where she said a midwife obstetric unit (MOU) nurse referred her to Tygerberg Hospital with her premature baby still attached to her umbilical cord. The baby died after she arrived at Tygerberg Hospital. Provincial health spokesperson Mark van der Heever said they would also be cooperating with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which has been alerted to the matter.

 

Read More by clicking here…