Welcome to the wonderful world of SAAHIP! We are pleased to welcome you as a new member of this growing Association. As a new member of SAAHIP we would like to take this opportunity to introduce the Association to you. This information pack is designed to familiarise you with the running of the Association and the major activities SAAHIP undertakes.

Running of SAAHIP

SAAHIP is governed by a National Constitution which was adopted by the membership at the conception of the Association. This Constitution lists the objects of SAAHIP as:

1. To promote, encourage, develop, support and foster discussion, research and study by members of the Association, thereby maintaining and improving the status of pharmacy and so enabling the Association and its members to assist more fully, effectively and efficiently in the preservation and maintenance of the health and well-being of the public, and in the provision of a satisfactory and dependable pharmaceutical service to the community.

2. To consider and promote the professional and educational interests of its members and of the pharmaceutical profession generally.

3. To promote and protect the economic interests of its members and to take such steps as may be necessary, including collective bargaining, mutual deliberation with any employer or employer body to safeguard and improve conditions of service of its members.

4. To uphold the professional integrity of hospital and institutional pharmacists.

5. To uphold and improve the standards of professional conduct of hospital and institutional pharmacists.

6. To initiate and promote reforms and improvements in laws relating to hospital and institutional pharmacy and, where necessary, to oppose draft legislation.

7. To represent generally the views and interests of it members.

The control and management of the affairs and interests of SAAHIP are vested in the National Executive Committee (Ex.Co.). This committee is comprised of the President, Vice President, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer and the chairman of all 8 branches of the Association. This committee usually meets 4 times a year to discuss and act upon matters specific to carrying out the objects of the Association.

Each branch chairman, in addition to the management of the branch, is given the responsibility of a national portfolio which is carried out on behalf of SAAHIP.

These portfolios currently are:

• Public Service Conditions

• Membership & Marketing

• Private Hospitals

• Liaison with MCC and Pharmacy Council

• District Health

• Education

• Communication & Forum

• Constitution

The National Executive Committee is assisted by the permanent staff at the Head Office of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa (PSSA) in Pretoria. These staff provide the general administrative support, management of membership applications and renewals and the general correspondence for the Association.

What does the National Executive Committee do?

The primary aim of the Ex. Co. is to carry out the objects of the Association. In doing so, the bulk of the energies focus on:

• Communication with other professional bodies such as the PSSA

• Attendance of National Meetings

• Discussion on matters of mutual interest

• Referral of matters of sectorial interests

• Communication with the South African Pharmacy Council

• Comments on documents and proposed legislation

• Input into matters affecting the hospital and institutional sector

• Attendance of meetings convened by the Department of Health

• Comments and input on proposed legislation and policies

• Input into matters affecting the hospital and institutional sector

Each branch of the Association is governed by a set of Branch Regulations which have been adopted by the branch member. These regulations ensure that each branch operates within the objects of the National body. SAAHIP has 8 branches:

• Eastern Cape based in Port Elizabeth

• Free State/N. Cape based in Bloemfontein

• Gauteng South based in Johannesburg

• KwaZulu-Natal Coastal based in Durban

• KwaZulu-Natal Inland based in Pietermaritzburg

• Northern Branch based in Pretoria

• NorthWest based in Potchefstroom

• Western Cape based in Cape Town

When a pharmacist joins SAAHIP they are placed in a branch of the Association according to the geographical location of where they practice or work. Each member thus will receive communication via the National Body and more regularly, from the branch committee.

Each branch is run autonomously by the branch committee. Each branch can offer its members regular continuing education evenings, social evenings and an Annual General Meeting of the membership. Each branch communicates its activities with the members of the branch and is a forum through which the membership can address their concerns. These concerns can be addressed either with the relevant provincial structure or directed to the National Body.

Communication within SAAHIP

On a national level SAAHIP is able to communicate with the membership through the following media:

South African Pharmaceutical Journal

As a SAAHIP member you will received a copy of the monthly SAPJ. SAAHIP has a dedicated page in the journal called Forum. There is also an editorial piece in each edition by the President of SAAHIP.

http://www.saahip.org.za

SAAHIP is proud to have our own Web site which is kept up to date by a member on the National Executive Committee. The Web site, as well as giving SAAHIP news and views, also contains links to other pharmacy-related Web sites. All SAAHIP position papers and important information is published on the Web site.

Each branch also has a dedicated page on the Web site to keep members up to date on branch events and activities.

E-mail has emerged as one of the most convenient ways of communication. SAAHIP has set up several e-mails lists to which members are free to register. These lists include the SAAHIP discussion list through which controversial topics are discussed through the medium of e-mail. This has proved to be a rapid way of obtaining comment from fellow pharmacists around the country. Information on the SAAHIP e-mail lists and how to subscribe can be obtained from the SAAHIP Web site.

Through the PSSA Head Office, whenever it is necessary to contact all members, the facility of a membership mail shot can be used.

At a branch level, you may receive communication on SAAHIP activities and events through local mailings, newsletters, notices of meetings and also by subscribing to your branch’s e-mail list.

The highlight of the SAAHIP calendar is the annual conference. This conference usually takes place in March and is hosted by a different branch of the Association every year, at out of town venues around the country. The conferences are renowned for the excellent standard of the academic presentations as well as for the evening social events.

The focus of the conference is towards the sharing of practical knowledge and experiences within the diverse arena of hospital and institutional pharmacy in South Africa. The Academic Programme of each conference is made up of podium presentations, poster sessions and clinical Pearl sessions.

The first Pharmacist of the Year Award for Hospital and Institutional Pharmacists was made in 1997. The Award is made in recognition of excellence of work in any field of hospital and institutional pharmacy practice, that has made a difference to hospital and institutional pharmacy and/or to patient care.

Nominations of pharmacists for the award are called for on an annual basis. From the nominations received, the finalists for the award are chosen. These finalists present their projects at the annual conference and a panel of judges has to make the difficult decision of who will receive this prestigious award. The announcement of the winner and runner-up is made at the Boehringer-Ingelheim dinner at the conference.

The Pharmacare Award is an annual award presented to an individual pharmacist for the submission of a case study. All members are invited to submit case studies of actual experiences in hospitals and institutions, which demonstrates the principles of pharmaceutical care.

The winning pharmacist receives a substantial cash prize and gold medal from Pharmacare.

Submissions for the award are called for on an annual basis and the announcement of the winner is made at the annual SAAHIP conference.

The HHD awards are presented to 2 pharmacists who are judged by their peers to have given the best podium and poster presentations at the conference. The Award consists of a floating trophy and a cash prize, sponsored by HHD.

This award was introduced in 1999 and is given for the best clinical pearl presentation at the annual conference. The aim of the pearl presentation session is to present clinical pearls of wisdom to pharmacists, which cannot be found in general pharmacology or pharmacy text books.

This award is presented to the Pharmacy of the Year. There are two awards; one for a public sector hosptial pharmacy and the other for a private sector hosptial pharmacy.

A bursary is available to SAAHIP members for post-graduate study. This is administered by the Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (FPE).

At the annual SAAHIP conference the following awards are presented to branches in recognition of their achievements in the various areas:

• Membership Trophy

• Spirit Trophy

• Joe Cohen Memorial Swimming Trophy

The National Executive Committee of SAAHIP and each branch committee, is constantly striving to meet the needs of our membership. In order to fully do so it is imperative that you the member, voice your concerns and needs so that these can be brought to the attention of the relevant body/person.

The composition of the National Executive Committee and the Branch Committees changes from time to time, but for up to date contact details please refer to the SAAHIP Web site at:

http://www.saahip.org.za or write to:

SAAHIP President
PO Box 23039
ARCADIA
0007

We trust that your membership with SAAHIP will be a long and happy one.

March 2000

This Membership Information Pamphlet was sponsored by: NATAL BIOPRODUCTS INSTITUTE

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