Naturopathic registration in South Africa allows
practitioners privileges and rights similar to those of conventional
medical practitioners, since Naturopathy is also recognised
as a primary contact profession. Hence, only full-time training,
as outlined below, is acceptable in SA.
Currently, the School of Natural Medicine at
the University of Western Cape [UWC] is the only provider of
Naturopathic training recognised for registration in South Africa.
A naturopathic degree programme was introduced in 2003 at UWC.
The training consists of a double degree, starting with a 3-year
Batchelor of Science degree in Complementary Medicine [BSc CHS],
covering basic and pre-clinical sciences. This is followed by
an additional 2-year full-time training programme geared at
professional practitioner status, culminating in a Batchelor’s
degree in Naturopathy. The final BCs [Nat] provides the clinical
skills required for professional registration with the Allied
Health Professions Council of South Africa [AHPCSA].
The end product of a Naturopathic degree programme
is a well rounded family care physician that can use such therapies
as nutrition, botanical medicines, homeopathy, acupuncture [note:
in SA this specific modality requires AHPCSA dual registration],
hydrotherapy, fasting, physical therapy, exercise therapy, counseling
and lifestyle modification, and integrate these therapies with
conventional medical therapies when appropriate.
Correspondence or Distance Learning courses are
not permitted for purposes of Naturopathic registration in South
Africa. Only persons registered with the AHPCSA in Naturopathy
are permitted to use the title of Naturopathic Doctor / Doctor
of Naturopathic Medicine / Naturopath.
Since Naturopathy is a statutorily registered
allied health profession in SA, naturopathic students are required
to register with the AHPCSA, as students-in-training, for the
duration of their academic programme. On gradation, if intending
to practice in SA, graduates are legally required to register
with the AHPCSA as Naturopaths. The AHPCSA provides a practitioner
with a registration number, which subsequently permits for application
to the Board of Healthcare Funders for a practice number.
At present UWC graduates are not required to
undertake the AHPCSA theoretical and clinical Board Examinations
in order to obtain statutory recognition. All other eligible
candidates are obliged to participate in AHPCSA Professional
Board examinations. Thereafter, successful candidates may apply
for statutory recognition and subsequent AHPCSA registration.
All education and training, of any of the 11
disciplines that fall within the jurisdiction of the AHPCSA,
whether taking place at tertiary or private institution level,
is obliged to meet specific requisites according to both the
Allied Health Professions Act and the Higher Education Act.
To this effect, the AHPCSA and the Council for Higher Education
[CHE] are entering into negotiations to conjointly approve all
such training establishments and providers and thereby meet
the mandate of their respective Acts. Educational establishments
and providers who fail to meet these statutory requirements
will not have their programmes recognised or sanctioned by the
AHPCSA, and their graduates will not be eligible for statutory
registration, nor will they be able to legally practice in South
Africa.
Contact details:
UWC
www.uwc.ac.za
Tel: 021 959 3064
Or contact
School of Natural Medicine
mapetersen@uwc.ac.za
Head of School:
Dr James Campbell
jcampbell@uwc.ac.za
