Dr N. Themba Mosia

Topic: Quality assurance perspective - Do health profession qualifications need to have an occupational focus? A view from HPCSA
Company: ETQA Manager, Senior Manager Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)

Dr Themba Mosia is a Senior Manager at the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) responsible for all areas of education and training, and professional conduct matters in all the 12 Professional Boards of the HPCSA. He has been an academic and executive administrator for over two decades in higher education.

His research interests, publications and conference presentations are largely in medical education, governance, leadership and quality assurance. Themba’s formal education was attained both in South Africa and the United States of America, and has been involved in large-scale national and international projects in the field of health sciences.

Among other achievements, Dr Mosia recently received an Outstanding Leadership Award from the University of the Free State for many years of service delivery and pioneering in the peri-urban areas of the Free State. As Registrar and Head of International Relations at the Medical University of Southern Africa he initiated and acquired large grants locally and abroad in the advancement of health sciences education for students and researchers. Themba serves in structures that promote education, training and skills development towards the advancement of broader national goals and priorities.

The HPCSA is a statutory Council empowered to regulate all matters affecting the education and training, registration of practitioners, ethics and professional conduct, disciplinary procedures as well as setting health care standards and fostering compliance with those standards. Additionally the HPCSA assists in the promotion of health of the population of the Republic of South Africa

The HPCSA determines strategic policy and oversees the functioning of its 12 constituent Professional Boards within their scopes of profession; promotes and regulates inter-professional liaison among the professions in the interest of the public; and advise the Minister of Health on any matter falling within the scope of the HPCSA Act 56 of 1974 and its Amendments.

Do Health Professions Qualifications need an Occupational Focus? A View from the HPCSA
The shortage of skills across the health professions has necessitated a revolutionary approach to ameliorate the national challenge of producing a cadre of health professionals (mid-level workers) that are linked to specific disciplines and trained for a shorter period of time. Over a period of time, South Africa has invested resources in health professions training, which lately appear as `training for the export market`. The NQF review statement accommodates the initiatives that have already been taken within the national health system as stipulated in the National Health Act (Act 61 of 2003). The HPCSA through its 12 Professional Boards are overseeing the construction of qualifications that take into account the occupations followed by health workers in certain categories. Numerous examples are found in various professions, and what is pertinent to note is that these mid-level health worker categories are not a replacement of the existing health professions. Careful consideration is given to the creation, training and utilization of mid-level heath workers as part of the Human Resources for Health Plan. The HPCSA is supportive of the creation of qualifications within the scope of practice that is not in conflict with the professional categories of the 12 professional boards. The partneship with providers (educational institutions) and the SAQA structures on the one hand, and departments of Labour, Health and Education on the other is a sine qua non for success for occupationally-directed qualifications in South Africa.