Draft:Clinical Technology Profession

CLINICAL TECHNOLOGY.

Author : LM van Niekerk, first Secretary of the SA Society of Clinical Technologists and Chairman of the first Professional Board.

PREAMBLE:

Clinical Technology as a profession was developed in South Africa by grouping together certain specialities of people who worked in the medical field. The organisation of the different groups of people working in this field, was firstly done on a national basis by establishing the SA Society of Clinical Technologists (SASCT) aimed at establishing proper education and training for the group on a nationally coordinated basis and was the main conduit to the authorities to motivate for and establishing the profession on a legal footing. Through many years of motivations to and deliberations with the authorities the Society succeeded in getting statutory recognition of Clinical Technologists through and by the SA Medical and Dental Council (SAMDC), as it was called then. Today it is called The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) which is a statutory body established in terms of the Health Professions Act.

The Society succeeded in obtaining formal national education and training and statutory registration for the profession. Firstly a register for Clinical Technologists was established under the auspices of the SAMDC. Later a Professional Board of Clinical Technology was instituted by the SAMDC and the Professional Board later established a compulsory register of Clinical Technologists.

Further development since the formal recognition of this profession was mainly in education. The SASCT played a crucial role in the general control and development of the profession.

HISTORY:

The medical profession took a most important turn in the sixties and seventies. Procedures were developed for diagnosis and treatment of deceases that necessitated co-workers with technical know-how to assist with the further development thereof and to use the various pieces of equipment that were created to enhance the procedures. Various pieces were developed and manufactured. At first of course, there were the original basic pieces but due to the appearance of the "medical technician" as they were called in the absence of a better description, these pieces were further developed to eventually become absolute necessities in medical practice.

In South Africa two people who can be called the first clinical technologists, were employed by university hospitals in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The one person was 'imported' from England and the other was a South African citizen. Interestingly enough not many more people were obtained from foreign countries where the development was at a higher level. Mostly the rest of the 'technicians' were sourced from technical occupations. These people quickly established themselves as indispensable members of the medical teams. Due to an obvious lack of a medical background and knowledge, a need for proper education followed.

(It is my aim to provide a comprehensive history on this topic as well as the status quo - from the onset up to today.  Further contributions and editing will be done time permitting.)