South Africa

Welcome to Worldwide Physical Therapy Practice: a focus on Primary Care Physical Therapy

This is a project created by and for the students in the School of Physical Therapy at the University of St. Augustine in St. Augustine Florida. Please do not edit unless you are involved in this project, but please come back in the near future to check out new information!!

Original Editor - Mayra Escbach.

Lead Editors - Your name will be added here if you are a lead editor on this page.  Read more.

Patient Access to Physiotherapy or Physical Therapy Services / Entry Point

Physiotherapists in South Africa have first line practitioner status. By definition a first line practioner is a practitioner capable of making a diagnosis and being able to treat. The practitioner must refer if the problem is outside of his/her scope of practice.(1)
Physiotherapists were first recognized as first line practitioners in the 1985 Scope of Practice Document and were acknowledged as such by both the then regulating body, the SAMDC (South African Medical and Dental Council) and current regulating body of physiotherapists, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) who further verified the first line practitioner status of physiotherapists in 1997.(1)
According to HPCSA the Physiotherapist assesses, treats and manages a wide variety of injuries including ailments from the fields of orthopedics, neurology, respiratory , cardio-vascular, obstetrics, sports medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, intensive care units and general rehabilitation. Other medical fields and community care also falls within the scope of physiotherapy (2)
As first line practioners, physiotherapists also practice and work in association with the patients’ medical team and may refer patients for X-rays, refer to a specialist, write and issue sick notes and administer prescribed medicine. (1)

Therapist Preparation

=====   Therapist Preparation
In South Africa the degree (B.PhysT, B.Sc Physio or B.Physio) consists of four years of general practice training, involving all aspects of Physiotherapy. (3) Typically, the first year is made up of theoretical introduction. Gradually, time spent in supervised practice increases until the fourth year, in which the student generally spends about 80% in practice.(3)

In the fourth year, students are also expected to complete Physiotherapy research projects, which fulfills the requirements of an Honours degree.(3)

Professional practice and specialization can only be entered into after a state governed, compulsory year of community service is completed by the student after graduation. (3) Community service can only be done in the public sector and with prior arrangement with the National Department of Health Community service. (4)
Schools: There are several institutions around the country that offer recognized courses in Physiotherapy. Each institution has its own criteria for acceptance. (5)
University of Kwazulu-Natal http://www.ukzn.ac.za/
University of Cape Town http://www.uct.ac.za/
University of the Free State http://www.uovs.ac.za/
University of Pretoria http://web.up.ac.za/
University of the Western Cape http://www.uwc.ac.za/
University of Stellenbosch http://www.sun.ac.za/
University of the Witwatersrand http://web.wits.ac.za/ University of Limpopo http://www.medunsa.ac.za/faculties/science/chemistry/programs.htm

Degree/Credentialing
Regulating body: The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA or the Council) is the statutory body regulating Physiotherapists, established in terms of the Health Professions Act No. 56 (6)
HPCSA serves to protect the public and provide guidance to registered healthcare practitioners. They regulate the health professions in the Republic of South Africa in registration, education and training, professional conduct and ethical behavior. They ensure continuing professional development, and compliance with healthcare standards.(6)
There are several Professional Boards that are coordinating bodies for all the healthcare practitioners registered with HPCSA. The respective boards that are established for a specific profession, deal with any matters relating to a specific profession. These boards consist of members appointed by the Minister of Health, educational institutions and nominated members. The board governing Physiotherapy practice is the Professional Board for Physiotherapy, Podiatry, and Biokinetics.(6)

Registration: Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is a pre-requisite for professional practice. Registration categories and criteria include the following: (6)
Physiotherapy Registration of Student–Physiotherapists (PT-S)
a) First registration as a Student:, Form 53,Certified copy of ID document or passport with a clear photograph, and Registration fee
b) Re-registration after interruption of studies for one year or more: Original certificate of registration as student, Certificate of resumption of study issued by University, and Registration fee
c) Re-registration after interruption of studies for less than one year: Form 41, and Certificate of resumption of study issued by University.
Registration of Physiotherapists (PT)
a) SA Qualifications (Community Service): Form 23 (Community Service), Certified copy of ID document or passport with a clear photograph, Registration fee, A copy of registration certificate with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, and Registration in the category: Public Service : Community Service.
b) Independent Practice: Form 23, and Copy of letter from institution confirming completion of 12 months Community Service
c) Foreign Qualifications: All foreign qualified Physiotherapists are required to sit for an examination concluded by the Board, twice per year, Form 49 PT, Form 146; Form 176 DOH, Certificate of Status, issued by foreign registration authority, Original certificate of Qualifications or copy thereof certified by Notary Public, and Certified copy of ID document or passport with a clear photograph.
Required Continuing Education: every health care professional registered with the HPCSA is required to accumulate 30 Continuing Education Units ("CEUs") per twelve-month period of which at least five CEU's should have been on human rights, ethics and medical law, within every year. Each CEU is valid for 24 months from the date that the activity took place (or ended, in the event of post-graduate
studies) after which it would lapse. This means that practitioners should aim to accumulate a balance of 60 CEUs by the end of their second year of practice, and thereafter top-up the balance through additional CPD as each 24 - month validity period expires. (6)

Ethical rules of conduct for the profession of physiotherapy can be found at http://www.hpcsa.co.za/downloads/ethical_rules_rules_of_conduct_annex_09_ppb_2006_08_0
Examples of unprofessional conduct against which we may take disciplinary steps may be found at http://www.hpcsa.co.za/board_physio_pod_misconduct.php
Specialization
Special Interest Groups under South African Society of Physiotherapy (SASP): (7)
Acupuncture In Physiotherapy Group
Animal Physiotherapy Group of South Africa
Aquatic Physiotherapy Group
Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Group
Dry Needling Physiotherapy Group
Medico-Legal Physiotherapy Group
Neurological Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Group
Occupational Health Physiotherapy Group
Older Persons Physiotherapy Group
Orthopaedic Manipulative Physiotherapy Group
Paediatric Physiotherapy Group
Pain Management Physiotherapy Group
Sports Physiotherapy Group
Womens Health Physiotherapy Group
http://www.physiosa.org.za/?q=specialinterests
    Professional Associations
The South African Society of Physiotherapy (SASP) is the professional organization that serves to represent its members and plays a pro-active role in the formulation and implementation of health care policy in South Africa.(8)
PhysioFocus (Private Practice Group) Physiofocus is an organisation of SASP registered physiotherapists that are practicing in the private sector. (9)
Orthopaedic Manipulative Physiotherapy Group (OMPTG) : The OMPTG is a special interest group of the SASP and was established in 1974. The South African OMPTG is affiliated with the International Federation of Manipulative Physiotherapists (IFOMPT), which is a non-government federation representing international collaboration in Manipulative Therapy. IFOMPT is a recognized sub-group of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT), which in turn is a part of the World Health Organisation (WHO). (10)
National Physiotherapy Students Council (NPSC) consists of Student Representatives/ Chairpersons from the eight universities in South Africa that offer Physiotherapy. The NPSC is a sub-group of the South African Society for Physiotherapy (SASP) and represents the National Physiotherapy Student Body (NPSB) that made up of students from the universities. The NPSC is also represented at the National Assembly (highest policy making body in SASP).(11)
World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) is the international voice for physical therapy, representing more than 300,000 physical therapists worldwide through its 101 organizations. The South African Society of Physiotherapy has been a member of the WCPT since 1951, and accounts for 3,254 of its members.(12)
  =====

Information about the Patient Community

• What is the population these PT’s serve?
• What are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the population served?

Social/Cultural Influences

• What is the influence of the family on a patient's health status?
• What are the typical patient's living conditions, family dynamics, and cultural back ground?

Delivery of Care

• Is delivery of care provided in a timely manner?
• Special methods? Home health etc
  

Type of Health System

• Is it a national health system with universal access?
  

Payment System

• What methods to patient use to pay for service? (Insurance, bartering etc.)