Docs face scrapping over fees

2005-08-23 21:15

Pretoria - Nearly 12 000 health professionals face scrapping by month-end for failing to pay their annual fees, the Health Professions Council of SA said on Tuesday.

The council said doctors, dentists, therapists, optometrists psychologists, and emergency care staff were among about ,102 150 professionals registered with the body.

Such professionals were expected to pay their fees by April 1 every year, with a three-month grace period prior to erasure from the register.

Those who settled their debt within six months of the deadline would pay a penalty of twice the annual fee.

A fine of ten times the fee was payable by those who applying for restoration six months after they were erased from the register.

The annual fee ranges from R125 to R865 a year, depending on the field of expertise.

Practising without council registration was a criminal offence, the council said.

"Practitioners are reminded annually of the amount they must pay as well as the due date."

For unemployed practitioners, there was a provision to apply for voluntary erasure from the register to avoid paying the penalty.

- SAPA