Arts therapies is a legally protected profession with the Health
Professions Council of South Africa and one is required to complete a Masters training in the modality specific area in order to register. Maintaining one’s professional development is key to keeping your HPCSA registration.
INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE OF THE HPCSA AND REQUIREMENTS TO PRACTICE
“The HPCSA, together with the 12 Professional Boards under its ambit, is established to provide for control over the education, training and registration for practicing of health professions registered under the Health Professions Act. In order to protect the public and guide the professions, council ensures that practitioners uphold and maintain professional and ethical standards within the health professions and ensure the investigation of complaints concerning practitioners and to ensure that disciplinary action is taken against persons who fail to act accordingly.
As a statutory body, the HPCSA is guided by a formal regulatory framework and this includes our founding Act, the Health Professions Act 56 of 1974. This Act governs all our activities, clearly defines the scope of each profession which it mandates to register with HPCSA, and sets clear processes to be followed by HPCSA in achieving our statutory mandate” (HPCSA website http://www.hpcsa.co.za).
The Board for Occupational Therapy, Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics and Arts Therapy is responsible for the regulation of our professions. All Arts Therapists are required to be registered by the HPCSA in order to legally practice. Failure to do so will result in prosecution in terms of Section 34 of the Health Professions Act, 1974.
In order to apply for registration one must have completed a Master’s degree in Art/s/Drama/Dance/Music Therapy from a registered university inclusive of 1000 hours of clinically supervised practice.
In order to maintain registration an Arts Therapist is required to engage in continuing professional development and maintain 30 CEU points per year. The HPCSA randomly audits members each year.
The Arts Therapies have one representative who sits on the OCP Board and all of its committees. The current Arts Therapies representative is Tamara Gordon-Roberts.
Should you have any queries kindly contact Tamara and she will guide you to the relevant HPCSA secretariat members to assist you – tammgordon88@gmail.com
All information, documents and forms relating to the HPCSA, registration of Arts Therapists, Arts Therapy students and interns can be found on the HPCSA website www.hpcsa.co.za
HPCSA APPROVED QUALIFICATIONS
Art Therapy
MA Art Therapy, University of Johannesburg
Music Therapy
MA Music Therapy, University of Pretoria
Drama Therapy
FOREIGN QUALIFIED PRACTITIONERS
If you are returning from an international Masters level training to work in SA you are required to apply to the OCP Board to complete a Board examination. The Minimum Standards of training for the Arts Therapies guides the process of the Board’s consideration of such an application.
Kindly contact tammygordon88@gmail.com for further information.
