Update : 23rd December, 2013.
Dear Member
Update # 10 / 2013.
- Top membership payers for 2014
- Eischan Maharaj has left Discovery Health
- Merry Christmas to all members and their families
It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow evening and 2013 draws to a close in just eight days, before we
welcome in the New Year and whatever 2014 holds in store!! Your SAOPA office has been very busy
processing membership payments and it is pleasing to report that 61 practices have already paid and
their SAOPA CD’s have been packaged and couriered off to them. This is up from the 40 processed
at the same stage in 2012 and the 30 in 2011. Well done members!! Keep it up!!
SAOPA members were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Madiba on 5th December and our
deepest condolences go to his extended family. Nelson Mandela’s legacy as the father of our nation
will live on and all will cherish their memories of this world icon.
SAOPA Membership – the first 22 payers for 2014:
Invoices were circulated from 29 November to 9 December and these were done in two batches.
Several practices have requested amended invoices and these are done as requests are received. If
your invoice is incorrect, please send in your completed & signed membership form, and your
amended invoice will be emailed back to you.
Grateful thanks are extended to the following 22 practices who were quick off the mark to pay in full
for the new year. In fact, Werner de Beer, Marco du Plooy and Roland Toogood paid before they
received their actual invoices. Taking into account the delayed sending of the second batch of
invoices, and based on a full payment, as received per date on bank statement, our top 22 payers
and supporters are as follows ……many thanks to all of these fine practices………..
1. Werner de Beer
2. Marco du Plooy (also 2nd in 2013)
3. Estene Henning
4. Riaan vd Westhuizen
5. Roland Toogood
6. Conrad Schuch
7. Brian McKibbin
8. Craig Wright
9. Darryl Grobbelaar
10. Frans Kleinhans
11. Cecil Whiteman
12. Ernest Porter
13. Elisha Phafoli
14. Paulani Hunt
15. Ruan Louw
16. Jeremy Kriek
17. Van der Meer & Schmidt
18. Grant Monaghan
19. Gagik Hakopian
20. Anthony Potgieter
21. Heinrich Grimsehl
22. Juliet Morgan.
Of the 61 practices that have already paid their dues, only 12 did not pay in full. However, only 27 of
the top 61 (44%) have submitted their 2014 signed membership forms and declarations. Please note
that every practice must submit a signed form, and every practitioner must sign the declaration.
Website access codes will only be released once these 2014 forms are on file. If you cannot afford
to pay in full, payment plans can be tailored to suite your specific circumstances. Email or phone the
office and specific plans can be discussed and finalised. We need you, and we want to help you!!
Allan Oates, Silas Gidzha and the Exco team wish all members, staff and families, a
wonderful, restful and blessed Festive Season.
Merry Christmas and may Santa be good to you and yours!!
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SAOPA Membership fees for 2014:
- O&P Practice
- Additional O&P’s in the practice
- Individual membership
- Etana Insurance - R2.5m cover
- Etana Insurance - R5m cover
- ISPO membership
= R 6 850-00 - this includes one O&P.
= R 480-00 per person
= R 480-00 per person (ie Gov O&P)
= R 2 080-00 per person
= R 2 600-00 per person
= R 675-00 per person
For the 69 practices that still need to renew for 2014, please note the following:
1. Practices that are in arrears for 2013 will not be sent their “Suggested Guide to Billing” CD for
2014 until all o/s monies are paid, or an agreed payment plan is in place.
2. If your 2014 invoice contains any errors, please email the particulars to the SAOPA office.
3. Every practice owner and practitioner must complete and sign the SAOPA membership form
for 2014, including the declaration at the foot of the form. This is compulsory. Please ensure
that an email address is listed per practitioner.
4. You need to indicate the amount of cover required on the 2014 Membership form. This is your
choice. You must decide what limit is most appropriate for your circumstances. If you have
been invoiced for R2.5m, and you want to increase it, please email the office. Invoices are
based on your cover taken last year.
5. If you want negotiate a higher cover, above R5m, please email Kristy, or the office, with your
requirements. Note that increased levels of cover are available through our scheme.
6. Your insurance premium must be paid in full on your first payment. Our first payment to
ETANA will be on 15th January. Please have your payment processed in time.
7. Please note that your existing ETANA policy expires on 31st December 2013, and ideally your
renewal should be made before this date, to ensure that your cover is not affected.
8. ISPO membership is optional. Only those who were members last year have been invoiced
for 2014. If you want to join for 2014, complete the attached form and email it to ISPO SA.
9. ISPO SA membership for non-SAOPA members will be R725-00 per person.
10. Students can now join ISPO SA at the reduced fee of R340-00 per annum.
SAOPA fees can be paid off, by prior arrangement:
Should you not be in a position to settle your 2014 fees in full, payment plans can be structured to
meet your needs. All that you need to do is email the office with your suggested plan, and each case
will be reviewed and an agreed plan will be confirmed. This will then be monitored with you.
Remember that the insurance premium must be paid in full as your first payment.
Two major membership changes for 2014 - Late payment penalty & bigger excesses:
1. All payments received after 30th January will be subject to a surcharge of 5% on all fees.
2. After 28th February, all fees will increase by another 5%.
3. All those who pay and register before 30th January are receiving our discounted rate. Please
take advantage of this and register and pay soonest.
4. The excess on your insurance policy has changed for 2014, as we accepted a lower general
increase of 7.5% and a higher excess, to rather penalize those who have claims and keep our
general costs lower. We think this is a fair way to contain rising costs!!
5. The 2014 insurance excesses, during the policy period, are as follows:
- 1st claim or complaint against a member = R 2 500-00
- 2nd claim or complaint against a member = R 3 500-00
- 3rd or subsequent claim or complaint
= R 5 000-00
Please note that your access codes for the SAOPA website will be suspended on 30th December and
re-activated by 2nd January, 2014. If you had staff changes, expect to be informed of revised access
codes. If no changes occurred in your O&P staffing, codes will remain as before.
Please also remember that the use of the 2014 SAOPA CD is for paid up SAOPA members only.
There are security measures built into the CD. Please report any suspected usage by a non-member.
Have you tried the customized SAOPA prosthetic folders?
Available in two colours – pink or manilla – at R9-50 per file.
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Eischan Maharaj has resigned from Discovery Health:
SAOPA recently received the following email from Eischan Maharaj, Contract Manager, Provider
Relations, at Discovery : “I want to take a moment to personally let you know that I have resigned
from my current position at Discovery Health and will be starting a new position at another company
in the New Year. My last official day at Discovery will be the 13th December, 2013.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure here at Discovery and consider myself privileged at having had
the opportunity to work with you. Thank you for all the support and assistance which you have
provided to me during my stay at Discovery. Even though I will miss our regular interactions, I am
looking forward to the new challenges that lie ahead and starting a new phase of my career.
Maxine Guy will be taking over some of my responsibilities and I have no doubt that you will continue
to give her the same support you have given to me over the many years we have worked together.
Please do keep in touch, I can be reached at my personal email address
(eischanmaharaj@gmail.com) or on my cell, 084 516 4186.
I wish you all continued success on a personal and professional level and thank you once again for
everything. Warm regards, Eischan”.
SAOPA Exco members forged a very good working relationship with Eischan and his team and this
resulted in the acceptance of the A&L list as part of the DH network and it was also through these
meetings that we obtained the direct payment method for those who elected to join their network. It
became a win-win for the profession and for DH members and we owe a debt of gratitude to Eischan
for his tireless efforts to work with the O&P profession.
It was always a pleasure dealing with Eischan and we wish him the very best in his new career. We
also look forward to meeting Maxine and introducing our profession to her.
Places still available for B-Tech course in 2014 at TUT – register now:
Final call - There are still places available for those interested in doing the B-Tech at TUT in 2014,
which is an optional course which is CPD accredited. TUT will host the final selection on 24th
January and all applications must reach Mariette or Sunett before 10th January. TUT will not accept
walk-ins for 2014. Contact Mariette = 012 – 382 4794 or email: Sunett (vantonders@tut.ac.za) or
Mariette (schmidtm@tut.ac.za)
National Diploma practitioners will only have a certain time, about 7 years, within which to obtain the
B-Tech. Because the degree course is now totally different, with additional subjects, it will take more
than 1 year to obtain your B-Degree in future. It remains an optional course and does not affect ones
right to practice. The following is the time-table for the B-Tech classes at TUT for 2014:
24 January
- Selection, if not already selected.
27 – 31 January - First classes and orientation
26 – 28 February - Classes
For the remainder of the year, classes will be on the following dates:
26 – 28 March, 7 – 9 May, 4 – 6 June, 23 – 25 July, 27 – 29 August, 1 – 3 October, 29 & 30 Oct.
ISPO SA Congress 2014 – Cape Town – 24 to 27 September:
Have you booked these dates in your diary?
- Wednesday, 24th September – Expo set-up and prelim meetings
- Thursday, 25th September to Saturday, 27th September – Congress & Expo & Gala Dinner.
The “Call for papers” will be issued soon and the aim is to finalise the programme by end March, so
please consider submitting items for consideration. Costings are being finalised and look out for the
delegate forms and supplier booking procedure, which will be circulated via a “News Flash” in early
January. Payment options will be available and you can spread payments over two financial years,
by paying half before the end of this year, and the balance in 2014. This will apply to both delegates
and Suppliers at the Expo. If you urgently need an invoice, email the office with the details.
Remember that ISPO members get a discount!!
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A&L “Guide to billing” - new listing for 2014:
The A&L “Guide to billing” for 2014 becomes effective from 1st January, 2014. Every practice which
signs up for 2014 is couriered a special SAOPA CD, containing this version, plus 40MB of relevant
information. The deadline for the next component listing of items for 2014, version 2 - effective from
1st April, will be 1st March. Please note that the majority of the funding industry only uploads one tariff
schedule per calendar year, due to their company policies and benefit structures.
SAOPA membership – Latest news on staff changes:
To date, 17 practices had their 2013 membership package returned to the SAOPA office, after they
were unclaimed after 30 days at the local Post Office. This is 13% and it happens every year???
We have been advised of the following practitioners that have moved from their 2013 place of work:
- Hennie Lourens has left Gerrit Ferreira’s practice in JHB.
- Corne Human has left Heinrich Grimsehl’s practice in JHB and his place has been filled
by Sonja Greyling. Welcome!!
- Eben Havenga has left Schuch Orthopaedic Services in Rustenberg
- Ettienne Schutze has left Meintjes & Neethling and he has joined Roland Toogood in EL.
During the past year we also said goodbye to the following four who left our membership ranks:
- Dolf van Coller, Carl Tiedt, Kryska Schilling, and Johan Rossouw (retired).
GEMS – meeting to be held in January:
A detailed letter summarizing all our member’s complaints was submitted to Dr Guni Goolab, the
new CEO of GEMS, on 22nd November, and he has responded to our request for a meeting. In his
closing remarks to the detailed response, he states: “We welcome a meeting between us in order to
further address the concerns raised…. The summary of concerns raised should be addressed … We
would also like to re-establish the working relationship between SAOPA and ourselves”.
We intend finalizing a meeting in January and more information will then be circulated.
We continue to get many queries regarding the GEMS investigation. SAOPA has had numerous
meetings with GEMS, and given input into why these particular activities were in fact criminal rather
than just un-ethical. The criminal side is what takes so long to finalize as GEMS has to open a case
with SAPS, etc, etc. This will eventually end up with a court date which may be postponed for council
or defense to prepare a case. Unfortunately the criminal justice wheels turn slowly. SAOPA has
helped and given a lot of input into these cases, and it is on record that SAOPA has reported some of
this activity, even before GEMS started their investigation. SAOPA has taken it as far as we can for
now. Until GEMS makes the investigation results public, the investigation lies with them, and we
cannot report members or non members without the documentation which is all with GEMS. We have
been assured by GEMS that this is now a criminal case so we will have to wait and see.
Note: all claims enquiries must be forwarded to enquiries@gems.gov.za; should you be unsatisfied
with the response received, you may escalate your enquiry to complaints@gems.gov.za
Etana Professional Indemnity Insurance scheme for SAOPA members:
Please note that CFP Brokers cc have moved offices and their new contact details are as follows:
The contact persons are Kristy Carr or Nicola Dykhouse:
Work:
011 – 794 6848 / 7770 / 7768
cell:
082 330 5829 (Kristy)
Fax :
086 – 553 5547.
email: kristy@cfpbrokers.co.za
Website: www.cfpbrokers.co.za
Address: Block C, Ground Floor, Sweet Thorn on Beyers, 61 Bosbok Road, Randpark Ridge, 2169
Postal address: P O Box 1964, Bromhof, 2154
Please note that CFP Brokers, who administer our ETANA policies, will be closed from
23 December, 2013 and will re-open on 6 January, 2014. If you require urgent assistance
during this period, please contact Kristy on cell-phone, or the SAOPA office.
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Important aspect for any possible insurance incident / claim:
Please immediately notify CFP, in writing, of any potential claim or complaint or HPCSA complaint
that might arise. Remember that an important condition of our Etana policy is that timeous notification
of any incident is crucial. It is your obligation to notify CFP as soon as you become aware of any
potential complaint or claim against you – regardless of whether you first approached CFP
Brokers for general advice on an enquiry. If in doubt, contact Kristy, or the office. Never respond
directly to HPCSA.
Members must be aware that if they respond to the HPCSA and do not involve CFP Brokers, it is
very likely that the insurers are going to reject any claim for assistance that may arise against the
policy going forward - because it is a condition of the cover that the member notifies CFP, in writing,
as soon as they become aware of any claim or complaint against him/her. We discourage members
from trying to respond directly. This is often where people get themselves into trouble, because they
are not legally trained and they often botch their response - albeit unwittingly. This is something
which should be referred to an attorney for assistance - that is what members are paying for under
the policy. Please ensure that all possible problems are reported immediately!!
It is most unfortunate to report that two members have ignored all the information that is contained
above, and in every Update circulated. These are two potential claims that might get rejected
because no prior notification was given to CFP Brokers, at the time of the initial notification. Please
do not let this happen again!!
Legal advice re Labour fees / commissions:
We sometimes come across important information that needs to be shared to ensure that all our
members are kept informed. Herewith some legal matters regarding ethical considerations:
Accepting commission:
“Healthcare professionals shall not accept commission or any financial gain or other valuable
consideration from any person or body or service in return for the purchase, sale or supply of any
goods, substances or materials used by the healthcare professional in his or her practice."
Payment of a labour fee:
“You cannot pay a "labour fee" or any other fee, to another healthcare professional, such as a
physiotherapist, as it will amount to touting or a commission fee, which is strictly prohibited by the
Health Professions Act, as well as the Ethical Rules issued by the HPCSA”.
Practitioners may practise in association, etc, but the O&P is not entitled to pay another healthcare
professional a fee! An example is a Medicross, Intercare and the like. General practitioners,
radiologists, physiotherapists, psychologists and the like all practise together at the same "centre",
but they remain sub-specialties within the centre and don't pay each other fees and the like. Each
practitioner can only charge a patient for treatment rendered to that patient by that practitioner.
To summarise, you can only bill for work that you do yourself…..you cannot bill for work done by
another healthcare professional, on your behalf.en
Forthcoming major events – contact the SAOPA office for full details:
13 to 16 May, 2014 : OTWORLD - Orthopädie + Reha-Technik 2014 – Leipzig ICC, Germany.
World Congress & International Trade Fair, OTWorld: setting standards the world over. If keen to be part of the
SAOPA tour group, email the office by 5th January and costings will then be finalized. We have five names to
date, and ideally need a group of at least ten, to be able to get discounts.
24 to 27 September, 2014 : ISPO SA Congress – Africa Unite – The Westin, Cape Town.
22 to 25 June, 2015 : ISPO World Congress – Lyon Convention Centre, France.
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Locum required – Durban area:
Established Durban practice urgently requires a locum……..please email the SAOPA office with your
details and these will be forwarded to the practice.
10 x positions for qualified O&P – check out these great opportunities:
Advert 1 = Jayson Chin and Associates, an established practice in Cape Town, has a position
available for an experienced and dynamic orthotist to join their team. Applicants should: “Have at
least 5 years of private practice experience”, “Be self-managed”, and “Have good clinical and
administrative skills”. The position offers lots of opportunity for professional and personal growth. The
salary for the position is negotiable and will also be performance based. Interested orthotists can
please send their enquiries or applications to info@medsport.co.za
Advert 2 = Schuch Orthopaedic Services has a position available in Rustenburg. Interested
parties can contact Conrad Schuch for inquiries on cell: 083 458 7268, office: 014 – 594 0701 or via
email: conradschuch@gmail.com
Advert 3 = Grant Monaghan O&P is looking for a young O&P at his Johannesburg practice. Must
be motivated and dynamic and available to start soonest. Contact Grant at 011 – 803 6649 or email
your CV to gmonaghan@telkomsa.net or saopa@telkomsa.net
Advert 4 = Riaan Knight O&P has a Partnership opportunity in Port Elizabeth. Ideally a young and
qualified O&P, no capital input required. Please forward your detailed CV to: a.grundling@gmail.com
or agrundling8@mweb.co.za
Advert 5 = Jose de Barros needs a qualified O&P at his practice in Cape Gate, Cape Town, to start
soonest. Prospective candidates must have a keen interest in orthotics. Please email applications to
jodbv@mweb.co.za
Advert 6 = Marissa Nel and Associates needs two young, dynamic qualified Orthotists/Prosthetists
to start soonest. Kindly forward your CV to marissa@marissanel.co.za
Advert 7 = Antonie Schutze urgently needs three B-Tech students or young qualified O&P’s to
work at practices in the Centurion Mall, Durban and Cape Town.. No experience required and to
start soonest. Please forward CVs to: ruan@preventrunnerslab.co.za
Young O&P seeks employment:
Bianca Daly is a young qualified O&P seeking employment in the Johannesburg or Pretoria area.
Email the office to request her CV. Alternatively, email Bianca directly: dalybianca@yahoo.co.uk
SAOPA stock items: email your orders to the office: saopa@telkomsa.net
SAOPA prosthetic carry bags : AK bags = R135-00 and BK bags = R125-00 + postage.
SAOPA prosthetic arm carry bags : dark blue or stone colour = R110-00 + postage.
SAOPA prosthetic patient folders : R9-50 each + postage. Pink or manilla / buff.
eCPD credits : Minimum purchase of 10 credits at R43-00 per credit.
Item for sale:
Titanium tibia/fibula fixator for sale, price negotiable. For any additional information please contact
Andre Stoffberg at 074 192 3588.
Is your CPD portfolio up to date?
Contact the office, buy some eCPD credits and register on the AOSIS website – it’s so easy!
Happy New Year !!
May 2014 be a year of good health & happiness!!
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Amputee Support Group – ASG:
If you know of an amputee who needs moral support, or who needs to talk to another amputee,
please contact the ASG National Administrator, Peter Morris on 041 – 581 6883 or 079 895 0968 or
email him: asgp@telkomsa.net Alternatively, contact the SAOPA office.
New contact people are needed for the different areas and if you know of an amputee who might be
interested in assisting with new amputees, please email the details to the SAOPA office. Why not get
one of your patients to run an ASG group within your own practice? Call Stanford to discuss the
various possibilities.
We need to assist new amputees to adjust to their new situation, and ensure that they overcome the
initial depression that sets in. Please consider using the ASG concept to assist your new patients.
Together, we can all do more!!
Double amputee in Western Cape area needs assistance – who can help?
We are aware of a middle aged lady on a farm in the Bonnievale area, who is a double amputee, and
is currently confined to a wheelchair. She has approached us in the hope of getting two prostheses.
Who visits this area? Who possibly has a clinic in this area? We would like to have her assessed for
the possibility of wearing prosthetics, and then we need to find some way of getting her walking
again. Can we give her the gift of walking again? If keen to assist, please email the office soonest.
National Office: Telephone = 041 - 581 7390. Fax = 088 - 041 - 581 7390.
Do you have specific Medical Aid issues that we can assist with? Are there any problems that need
to be resolved? Illegal practices, unethical or unregistered people working within our O&P scope of
practice? Send an email to the office with all the details and let‘s work together to resolve issues.
Our next issue will be circulated mid January. Send us your news or suggestions for articles.
Allan Oates and the SAOPA EXCO members wish you and your family and staff a wonderful and
joyful Festive Season. Please drive to arrive, rest well, have fun, and remember the reason for the
season!! We look forward to serving you in 2014.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Festive Season Greetings
Allan Oates
Chairman
082 320 3946
Stanford Slabbert
Administrator
082 9900 907
Attachment x 3 : - SAOPA membership form for 2014.
- ISPO SA membership form for 2014.
- ISPO SA membership renewal form for 2014.
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