The pharmacy workforce is a critical part of any health system and
planning for an adequate South African pharmacy workforce is
important if high quality pharmaceutical services are to be delivered to
the whole population. This includes the qualification of pharmacists and
pharmacy support workers, and the optimal use of existing pharmacy
personnel. It is estimated that there are 19 750 pharmacists in South
Africa including interns and community pharmacists who are presently
serving their community service year.
All areas of pharmacy practice in the country report shortages
community, hospital, industry, and academia, with vacancy rates for
pharmacists of up to 76% reported in the public sector in one province.
Due to the shortage of pharmacists, pharmacy mid-level workers,
mainly pharmacist’s assistants, play an important role in the provision
of pharmaceutical services in the country. The South African Pharmacy
Council’s vision for 2030 include 24 000 pharmacists and 22 000
pharmacy support personnel being registered and serving the health
needs of South Africans
It is estimated that in April 2023, there are 4 072 learner Basic and 2 302
learner Post Basic pharmacist’s assistants busy studying to achieve their
qualification. There are 3 401 qualified Basic learners and 16 488 qualified
Post Basic learners. The Pharmacy Council has finalised the curriculum
for the inclusion of the qualifications for pharmacist’s assistants at NQF
level 4 (Basic) and NQF level 5 (Post Basic) as part qualifications into
Pharmacy Technician (PT) qualification at NQF level 6.
H.S.A. Clinical Research Pharmacy (Pty)Ltd 100% owned subsidiary Registration number:2023/800994/07
A newly formed company registered in June 2023. It stands alongside FPD with the main purpose of owning registered pharmacies to dispense medication at the clinical Trial sites. Ndevana Community Research site 44km from East London is a clinical trial site where medication is being tested for HIV prophylaxis.
Expertise and Services
- Pharmaceutical Sector Training
At any time, HSA has about 1 500 learners enrolled for the National
(Basic) and Further Education and Training (Post Basic) Pharmacist’s
Assistance programme. The present course will see enrolments
only until 30 June 2024. Thereafter, the new course for Pharmacy
Technician will be implemented.
- Dispensing for Healthcare Professionals Course
This course is based on the recommended standard for the
dispensing course for prescribers in terms of Act 101 of 1965 as
amended, which was developed by the South African Pharmacy
Council, in consultation with the other statutory health councils.
Licencing with the relevant authority as a dispensing healthcare
professional can only take place once the certificate is awarded. We
have updated and re-accredited the course with the South African
Pharmacy Council (SAPC). The course consists of four days of
practical training and one day for assessments and practical exams.
- Industry courses
Industry courses include Medicine Registration in South Africa for
both pharmacists and regulatory assistants, Good Manufacturing
Practice (GMP) as well as immunisation and injection techniques.
The course for Immunisation has recently been accredited by SAPC
according to the latest curriculum and was implemented in January
2023.
HSA also addresses the needs of the Quality Assurance personnel
within the pharmaceutical industry with a distance course named
Quality Management Systems (QMS), which presently consist of
14 modules that can be completed as distance modules. Twenty
modules are available to expand knowledge and skills for Continued
Professional Development (CPD) are also available
HSA has created a portal for the training of pharmacists and pharmacy
support personnel called PharmEd. This portal gives access to courses
that addresses practice management issues and other general topics
of interest.
As part of our offering to the health sector, we have introduced skills
programmes on subjects such as stock management, an introduction
to the pharmaceutical sector and diseases as well as customer service,
merchandising and sales.
- Management
HSA has approval from LG SETA for a course in Generic Management
at NQF level 4. This course is aimed at new entrants to the workforce
who have ambitions to enter the supervisory or management levels.
The course can be completed as distance education over 12 months.
It can be supplemented with an FET Certificate in Business
Administration (NQF 4).