Government Gazette

Vol. 419, No. 21144, 5 May 2000

Regulation Gazette, No. 6798

GOVERNMENT NOTICE

No. R. 450

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

PHARMACY ACT, 1974 (ACT No. 53 OF 1974)

REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE PERFORMANCE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

The Minister of Health in terms of section 14 and 14A of the Pharmacy Act, 1974 (Act No. 53 of 1974), as amended, in consultation with the South African Pharmacy Council, intends to make the regulations in the Schedule.

Interested persons are invited to submit, within two months after the date of publication of this notice, substantiated comments on, or representations regarding the proposed regulations to the Director-General of Health, Private Bag X828, Pretoria, 0001 (for attention of the Chief Director: Pharmaceutical Services).

SCHEDULE

Definitions

  1. In these regulations, unless the context otherwise indicates—

"community service pharmacist" means a person performing community service in terms of these regulations;

"community service for pharmacists" means the provision of services or performing of acts specially pertaining to the profession of a pharmacist in a public health facility in accordance with these regulations;

"the Act" means the Pharmacy Act, 1974 (Act No. 53 of 1974), and any expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act, shall bear such meaning.

Commencement

  1. The Minister shall, by notice in the Government Gazette, determine the date on which these regulations and the community service for pharmacists shall commence.

Persons who shall perform community service for pharmacists

  1. A person who has obtained a qualification inside or outside the Republic entitling him or her to registration as a pharmacist, and who has completed the prescribed practical training, and passed the examination(s) or assessment as determined by Council, and who wants to register as a pharmacist following completion of the practical training, shall perform community service for pharmacists in a public health facility.

Registration as community service pharmacist

  1. An applicant for registration as a community service pharmacist shall submit to the council the following: (a) A formal application for registration as community service pharmacist on a form provided by the council; (b) proof that the person—
  1. holds a qualification in pharmacy;
  2. completed his or her internship or practical training; and
  3. passed an examination or other evaluation as approved by council.
  1. A community service pharmacist shall be issued with a registration certificate by the Registrar.
  2. A community service pharmacist shall notify the registrar as soon as he or she has assumed duty of the fact and of the name of the health facility where community service is being performed.

Scope of practice of a community service pharmacist

  1. A person registered as a community service pharmacist in terms of the Act may, for purposes of the Act and these regulations perform the services or acts specially pertaining to the scope of practice of a pharmacist in a public health facility without the personal supervision of a pharmacist.

Places where community service Is to be performed and condition of service

  1. A person contemplated in regulation 3 shall apply for a post in a health facility or a complex of health facilities approved for the purposes of performing community service and appearing on a list of approved facilities published by the Minister in the Government Gazette.
  2. The Minister may, after consultation with a Member of the Executive Council responsible for health in a Province, make a final decision with regard to the place where a person contemplated in regulation 8 shall perform community service.
  3. The conditions of service applicable to the public service shall, unless otherwise provided for in these regulations, apply to pharmacists performing community service.

Interruption of period of community service

  1. If a period of community service is broken or interrupted, such period shall consist of periods which, when added together, including approved periods of leave, are not less than one calendar year in total: Provided that community service shall be completed within a maximum period of two years from date of first commencement of such service.
  2. The period of community service already served shall lapse if community service is not completed within a period of two years from date of first commencement of such service.

Report on completion

  1. On completion of community service by a community service pharmacist, the relevant health authority shall furnish the South African Pharmacy Council and the National Department of Health with a report that such person has satisfactorily completed the prescribed community service.

M. TSHABALALA-MSIMANG
Minister of Health