South African Nursing Council

Welcome to the South African Nursing Council Web site.  This site concentrates on the setting and maintaining of nursing education and practice standards.  The information is intended to appeal to a wide audience - from the serious researcher to those who are considering a career in nursing.

Practising nurses will find the site most useful. You will be able to find the latest and most up-to-date information about your profession here.

International visitors are welcome - particularly those who are doing international nursing research and also those who are considering coming to work as nurses in South Africa.

Latest News from S A Nursing Council:

2011 Statistics Published on Council Website

10 January 2012

South African Nursing Council statistics for the calendar year 2011 have been published on the Council website.  The number of registered practitioners continues to grow at a rate well above the rate of growth in the population of South Africa.

For full details, go to the Statistics page.

Due Date for Payment of Annual Fees Now Past

2 January 2012

The due date for payment of annual fees has now passed.  All Annual Fees for 2012 had to be paid by 31 December 2011.

Council is committed to dispatching Annual Practising Certificates to practitioners as soon as possible.  However it must be said that this will take some time due to the large number of last minute payments.  Those who did not pay the correct annual fee amount will be worst affected because Council cannot process such transactions automatically.

For further details read the full news item

eRegister processes 1 million requests

27 October 2011

Early on the morning of 26 October 2011, the SANC eRegister (electronic Register of Nurses and Midwives) processed its 1 millionth request for information about a nurse / midwife.

This is a huge achievement and in reality represents a reduction in the time necessary for clients to access this information.  In the past, clients would have had to write / fax / telephone the Council in order to confirm a practitioner's registration status and registration details.  From the Council perspective, this achievement means a significant decrease in the number of telephone calls and written enquiries that would otherwise have had to be handled by the Council Client Services Section.

Another way of looking at this number is that the eRegister system to date has handled an average of approximately 870 enquiries per day since it was launched on 5 August 2008.

Extension of date for Nursing Education Institutions to offer Legacy Nursing Qualifications to 30 June 2013

7 July 2011

Nursing Council has resolved to extend the end date for offering legacy nursing qualifications to 30 June 2013.  This will give Nursing Education Institutions time to develop plans to phase out the legacy qualifications and develop plans to implement the new qualifications.

Click here to access a copy of the circular sent out by the Council.

Annual and Restoration Fees  for 2012

29 June 2011

Annual fees for 2012

The annual fees for the calendar year 2012 can be paid from 1 July 2011.

For the calendar year 2012, the Council will permit practitioners who are 60 years of age or older on 1 January 2012 a discount on the Annual Fees (depending on their age on that date).  This is intended to permit practitioners who may have retired to keep their name on the register should they wish.  Having their name on the register will enable such practitioners to work on a part-time basis or to assist with local or national needs or programmes in a temporary capacity if called upon to do so.  Please note that Council has decided to grant discount based on the ages indicated rather than retirement status because there is not a standard retirement age in South Africa.

The amounts for the different categories are set out in the table below.

Notes:

1. To qualify for the 25% discount, the practitioner must be 60-64 years of age on 1 January 2012.

2. To qualify for the 50% discount, the practitioner must be 65 years of age or older on 1 January 2012.

3. The annual fees for 2012 must be paid by 31 December 2011.

4. Please pay as soon as possible to avoid the last minute rush.

5. The above amounts all include 14% VAT.

Restoration fees effective from 1 January 2012

The restoration fees will increase on 1 January 2012.  The amounts for the different categories are set out in the table below.

Notes:

1. The increased fees apply to restorations that are EFFECTIVE from a date after 31 December 2011 - no matter when the fee is paid.  In other words, if you meet all the requirements for restoration after 31 December 2011 OR if you request restoration with effect from a date after 31 December 2011.

2. The reduced restoration fee will only apply if your name was removed from the register at your own request - this must be confirmed with the Council before paying the reduced amount.

3. The above amounts all include 14% VAT.

Nursing Summit - Nursing Compact

8 April 2011 

A Nursing Compact was adopted at the closing ceremony of the Nursing Summit on 7 April 2011.

You are encouraged to download a print a copy of the compact - it belongs to the nurses of South Africa.

The Future of Registration of Nursing Agencies with South African Nursing Council

21 January 2011

It is very likely that South African Nursing Council will no longer regulate Nursing Agencies in future - as this task now falls under the National Health Act, 2003 and will most likely be performed by the Department of Health.  Both these parties are involved in discussions to resolve the way forward.

Circular 1/2011 gives further information for those who need to know about the future of Nursing Agencies.

Update on the Status of Offering of Legacy Nursing Qualifications and Implementation of the New Nursing Qualifications Registered on the National Qualifications Framework

30 June 2010

Nursing Council has issued and update on the status of the legacy qualifications and implementation of new nursing qualifications.  You are encouraged to find out what is happening by reading the circular.  More...

Nurses can submit contact and personal details on-line

1 March 2010

Council is updating its records to include alternative contact details that will enable it to improve its service to clients.  It is also collecting additional personal details required for submitting learner records to the National Learner Records Database.

In an effort to make it as easy as possible for nurses to submit their own details, this can now be done on-line.  Click here to update your information.

Please tell your friends and colleagues about this update page so that SANC can collect the required information as soon as possible.

What you will find on the Council website

The following is a brief outline of what you will find on this website.

About SANC tells you all about the Nursing Council - the Vision, Mission and Objectives of the Council, the members that make up the Council, the various committees of Council and the members that serve on each, etc.

Complaints deals with the process of investigating matters which have been reported to the Nursing Council and which may constitute "unprofessional conduct". You can find out how to lodge a complaint (if you have one) and the process which will follow the receipt of your complaint.  If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having a complaint against you, this information will help you to understand the whole process - including your own rights.

Examinations deals with those examinations which are conducted by the Nursing Council .  If you are a  candidate who is planning to write or who has written a Council examination, you will obviously be interested in this information.

eRegister is a link to the Nursing Council electronic register where you can confirm the qualifications of registered practitioners.

News is where you will find all the latest decisions of the Nursing Council , new policies, proposed policies and discussion documents on which the Council would like your comments. You should visit these pages if you want to keep informed and to be involved in shaping the future of nursing in South Africa.

Nursing Schools contains a full list of all the nursing schools approved by the Nursing Council and their addresses (arranged by province) so that you can find one near by OR in a place where you would like to study.

Policies contains some of the Nursing Council policies and guidelines that are published for general information.

Presentations contains some of the Nursing Council presentations delivered at various events.  Delegates may find this useful material to supplement the knowlege gained during the event.

Publications contains the full texts of official publications which are available from the Nursing Council.  These include the Nursing Act, regulations, teaching guides and teaching policies of the Council. Although you are welcome to print and use copies of these documents, it is recommended that you refer to them on-line as you will then be sure to obtain the very latest information.

Services gives details of the services provided by the Nursing Council and how much each costs.  You can also download various official forms from these pages - this will ensure that you always use the current version of the form.  This is also the correct place for you to find out about the various options available for paying annual fees.

Statistics is for the inquisitive and the researcher.  Ever wanted to know how many nurses qualify each year?  This is where you will find all the information you need.

Supply Chain is where suppliers or prospective suppliers can download the form used to apply for registration as a supplier on the Supplier Database.  You can also find out about current tenders and download tender forms and information.

Promotion of Access to Information Act - Manual

Click on the information icon to access an electronic copy (PDF) of the South African Nursing Council Promotion of Access to Information Act Manual.  This manual will help you to access information that you believe is held by the Nursing Council and that is needed by you to protect your rights.

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