You wouldn’t share your bank pin number with others, would you? Would you give someone else access to your private online banking profile? Providing your login details to the SAPC secure website to a third party could have disastrous results.
In terms of section 23 (1) (e) of the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974,
“The council may direct the registrar to remove from the register the name of any person who has failed to furnish the registrar, within a period to be determined by the council, with such information as the registrar may require in terms of regulations made under this Act.”
In other words, it is your responsibility as a registered professional to ensure that your information on the SAPC registers is correct at all times. This responsibility is jeopardised by granting access to the secure registers of Council to third parties.
There is no guarantee that the third party you provide your password to will not register you as the Responsible Pharmacist (RP) at a pharmacy you have never even set foot in. What happens then if that pharmacy is taken to task by Council due to a poor inspection grading? As the registered RP of that pharmacy, you may be held liable by the disciplinary committees of Council, and it is going to be very difficult to prove that you had no knowledge of this registration.
Keep in mind that your secure profile on the SAPC website contains confidential information such as your ID/Passport number, your various addresses and contact information, and even your photo. Identity theft is rife in South Africa, and providing your personal login details to anyone puts you at risk of serious consequences.
Do not forget to check and confirm your information on your secure profile on the SAPC website and to update it immediately should something change. Remember, you can also change your password once you are logged into the site, so make sure your information is secure by updating your password regularly.
Should you require any assistance in updating your information with Council, please contact Customer Care on 0861 72 72 00 or send an e-mail to customercare@sapc.za.org.
