INTERNSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PLACEMENT HANDBOOK 2018/19

Transcription

1 INTERNSHIP AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PLACEMENT HANDBOOK 2018/19

2 About the handbook This handbook has been developed to help medical interns and community service applicants to apply for the Internship and Community Service Placement (ICSP) programme during the period 2018/19. It provides an abridged, easy to use version of the annual update of the ICSP guidelines, specifically for medical interns and community service applicants, to guide them through the ICSP process using the ICSP Online portal. The handbook describes the ICSP process and timelines, the application process, how to handle exchanges, appeals, queries and complaints, and provides additional resources and frequently asked questions. The handbook will be updated as annual changes are made to the guidelines, through consultations on how to improve the administrative processes and approved by the National Health Council (NHC). Note that the application of this handbook is subject to the regulatory and legislative frameworks that govern the public service, employment practices and relevant professional bodies. It serves as an operational manual for applicants as the ICSP guideline is a restricted procedural document, for internal stakeholders only. 2

3 Table of contents The ICSP cycle... 4 The ICSP Application Process... 5 Use of the ICSPOnline portal... 5 Pre-registration... 5 Applying for an allocation to a post through ICSPOnline... 6 How allocations are made... 9 Getting information about my application An ICSP allocation versus an offer of employment Motivations, exchanges, appeals, queries and complaints Submitting motivations for special and personal considerations Social compact applications Exchanges or swops Appeals Queries and complaints Important points to note Failure to start on a post commencement date Individuals acting on behalf of the applicant Notice of criminal record or criminal proceedings Re-employment of former employees Providing inaccurate or false information Acts of corruption or ethical misconduct Foreign Nationals ICSP applications Additional resources The ICSP Call Centre ICSPOnline quick guides FAQs

4 The ICSP cycle For the 2018/19 ICSP cycle there will only be a single round of allocations, followed by an exchange period and an appeals process. This differs from previous years where there were three rounds of allocations. Important dates pertinent to applicants are shown on the timeline below 1. PHASE 1: PREPARATION PHASE 2: ALLOCATION PHASE 3: APPOINTMENT July-Aug 7 Aug 10 Jul 7 Aug 7 Aug 7 Sept Sept 24 Sept 31 Oct Annual Cycle applicants only - Final year students, interns and Professionals update their profiles on ICSPOnline and apply. Closure for all applications. NDoH, PDoH, DCS, SAMHS, LG confirm allocations and inform applicants of their placements Exchanges / swops period opens (see relevant section for details on exchanges / swops) Appeals period opens (see relevant section for information on appeals) Provinces complete the process of appointing applicants in their allocated posts 1 Dates are subject to NHC-TAC sign off and may change

5 The ICSP Application Process Use of the ICSPOnline portal All applications for medical internship and community service must be made through ICSPOnline portal. Being placed outside the administrative process of the ICSP programme is considered an irregular appointment. The portal offers a user -friendly online space to make applications, access the required forms and information and get assistance with the application process. Extensive support is offered to help applicants complete their registration and application through the portal. See the additional resources section for detailed information on how to access support. Pre-registration For the 2018/19 cycle, the ICSPOnline portal will be pre-populated with applicant details. All pre-registered applicants will receive an notification with the website url, their user name, and password to access the system. Applicants must go online to confirm their registration details. A two-stage authentication process will be employed to ensure that the correct person is accessing the system. Once access has been granted, applicants are required to review their registration details, complete any missing details, and confirm that the data in the ICSP system is correct. The ICSPOnline portal will inform applicants of changes made in the system, and will also remind applicants who have not accessed the system to update their details. Note that failure to update details within the prescribed timeframe will result in the applicant being excluded from further processing. 5

6 Applicants who did not receive a registration notification Potential applicants who did not receive a notification within the prescribed timeframes, should: Go to the ICSP Info website ( and complete the online registration application form. You will then receive an notification with a ticket number to show that your request is being dealt with. The Call Centre team will review the application, confirm registration details with the appropriate professional council, and seek approval for registration. Once approval is obtained, you will receive an to go online and confirm your registration details, as per the instructions above. Once the registration verification process is complete, the system will be opened for applications to posts. The process of opening the system for application to posts will be phased across professional groups. Applying for an allocation to a post through ICSPOnline This section provides information on how to apply for an allocation to a post through the ICSPOnline. Note: During the 2018/19 ICSP cycle, rural facilities and critical services will be given preferential allocations. Central hospitals will only be included if there are sufficient applicants to fill all rural facilities. To help improve applicants chances of getting their first choice of placement, applicants will be allowed to make 5 choices for posts, and will indicate their preferred districts and provinces of work. If an applicant cannot be allocated to their facilities of choice, the NDoH reserves the right to allocate them firstly to another facility in their chosen districts, and then to another facility in their chosen provinces. 6

7 Rules for choosing posts to apply for: You can select a maximum of 5 facilities You must select a minimum of 3 provinces You must select a minimum of 4 districts You may only select up to 3 districts within a particular province You may only select 1 metro Examples of two options based on the application rules above: Option 1 Option 2 Choose 3 posts in 1st choice province BUT they must be in at least 2 districts Choose 1 post in your 2 nd choice province Choose 1 post in your 3 rd choice province Choose 2 posts in your 1 st choice province (they can be in the same or different districts) Choose 2 posts in your 2 nd choice province BUT they must be in 2 different districts Choose 1 post in your 3 rd choice province Note: Community service applicants must choose facilities based on the priority rankings below: Facility ranking Description # Choices allowed Priority 1 Rural facilites that are grossly under staffed. Minimum of 3 Priority 2 Rural or peri-urban facilities with some need for Maximum of 2 staff. Priority 3 Urban facilities that are generally adequately staffed. Maximum of 1 Bursary holders - see additional information below. NB: Once a province confirms an allocation, you are automatically placed and the province will communicate further with you. 7

8 Personal considerations, swops and appeals The process for submitting motivations around personal considerations and circumstances is described in the considerations, exchanges, and queries section below. Applicants who are unhappy with their allocations may initiate changes through the swop or appeals process (see below). Be aware that late applications and re-applications based on a rejected allocation will only be placed after all other applications have been accommodated. Note: Rejecting an initial allocation will significantly delay an allocation and may result in an applicant not being offered a placement in the 2018/19 cycles. To note for government bursary holders For community sercive placements, government bursary holders are required to apply within their respective province, district, sub-district or facility as per their agreement with a given department. Government bursary holders include those that have a bursary from provincial, district, SA military health services (SAMHS), correctional services and study leavers from public health institutions. Medical interns should bear this in mind when applying for posts as it could have an impact on financial and personal considerations when you have to apply for your community service placement in two years. NB: All allocations are still subject to provincial confirmation. An allocation is not the equivalent of an offer of employment. No permanent or irreversible decisions should be made until a written offer of employment is received from the province or relevant department. 8

9 How allocations are made For the 2019 community service and medical internship allocations, an allocation algorithm, as shown in the representation below, will be used. A single round of allocations is envisaged, followed by an exchange period, and an appeals process. Allocations will only be run for completed applications and the ICSP Online system will send applicants notifications of allocations via /sms. Prioritisation sequence of allocations: Medical Internships 1. South African citizens with personal considerations 2. South African citizens (first those that studied at South African institutions and then those that studied abroad) 3. Foreign nationals with residency permits (FSAR) I. FSAR applicants with special considerations II. Other FSARs 4. Foreign nationals with work permits Community Service For each field of study: 1. South African citizen bursary applicants 2. South African citizens applying for Special Services, SAMHS, Correctional Services 3. Other South African citizen applications 4. Foreign nationals with residency permits (FSAR) I. FSARs with bursaries II. FSARs applying to special facilities III. Other FSAR applicants 5. Foreign nationals with work permits 9

10 How to apply through the ICSPOnline system Applicants should refer to the specific user guides, videos and support on the ICSP Info website for detailed information and assistance on how to update and verify a registration and apply using the ICSP portal. Getting information about my application The NDoH will communicate all information with the applicant during the application process until the allocation of the placement by a province. After confirmation of a placement, the employing province, department or partner will communicate all relevant information to the applicant to make an offer of employment and manage the appointment process. An ICSP allocation versus an offer of employment The NDoH uses ICSPOnline as an administrative system to allocate individual applications to available posts. Provinces consider these allocations, and once satisfied, will confirm the allocation and proceed to make an offer of employment to the individual. NB: An allocation on ICSPOnline is NOT EQUIVALENT to an offer of employment, therefore, applicants should not make any financial or personal undertaking of a permanent nature until they have received confirmation of an appointment from the Province. 10

11 Motivations, exchanges, appeals, queries and complaints Submitting motivations for special and personal considerations Special and personal considerations motivations will be considered during the application process. However, it should be noted that submitting such a motivation does not guarantee it will be accepted or applied in the allocation processes. A medical consideration (considered under own health needs ) will only be considered if it impacts where an applicant can be placed. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the requirements discussed below and actively consider posts that will promote workable solutions. The boxes below show what special and personal circumstances will be considered and those that will not. Considerations that WILL be considered Pregnancy Child established in school Own health needs Considerations that WILL NOT be considered Engagements or marriages Religion Student and other loans Own health needs that do not require active management by a specialist Health needs of parents Property ownership Legal matters You will be able to indicate any special and personal considerations that affect your allocation in the application process. More than one option may be selected. 11

12 Note that you must upload ALL the required supporting documents relating to the personal circumstance. Failure to do so will result in the application being assessed without any personal considerations. The list of supporting documents required is shown below and are available at the end of this handbook. Documents submitted that do not address the stated requirements will negatively impact the assessment of the submission and may adversely affect a preferred placement. Documents with inaccurate or misleading information will result in action against the applicant. Supporting documentation required for special and personal considerations applications Special / Personal Circumstance Pregnant Child established in school Own health needs Supporting Document Affidavit in respect to confirming a pregnancy Affidavit in respect to confirming a school going child Medical declaration form Social compact applications Consideration will be given for intern and community service applications where two people wish to be placed together for any of the following reasons: Social compact type Type A Type B Type C Type D Description Couples who are both applying for internship or community service and wish to be placed together. Couples where the non-applicant in the couple is already completing an internship and where an applicant wishes to be placed with them. Couples where the non-applicant in the couple is permanently employed in a public-sector health facility and the applicant wishes to be placed with them. Couples where the non-applicant in the couple is in stable employment and the applicant wishes to be placed within the vicinity. 12

13 In these cases, the applicant will complete the required form on ICSP Online. For social compact types B,C,D, applicants must also complete the form regarding proof of the non-applicant employment status. Any applicant requesting a social compact for types B, C, D must choose 3 posts in 1 province in at least 2 different districts, and then choose 2 additional posts in 2 other provinces. If the applicant cannot be allocated in these facilities, they will be placed at another facility in either of the 3 districts chosen, or, if that fails, elsewhere in the 1 st choice province. Social compact applicants are required to distribute the choice of facilities according to the prioritisation of facilities like other community service applicants. Exchanges or swops For the 2018/19 cycle, once applicants have been officially informed of their placement, a window period will be declared during which exchanges or swops will be allowed. Exchanges can include up to five individuals in a swop-cycle. Exchanges will only take place if all parties in the exchange are in agreement. Exchanges are subject to provincial and national approval. The box below shows the process for exchanges / swops. Exchanges / Swops Process One applicant will initiate a swop / exchange process on the ICSP online system. The applicant should pre-arrange with up to 5 other placed candidates who would like to exchange allocated facilities. The applicant will access the exchange section in their application on ICSP Online. Once there, s/he will enter the details of the other 4 applicants in the online form, including name, surname and ID number. Once this information is entered, a list of all the allocated facilities of all the applicants involved will appear in a dropdown list. The applicant will then select the desired final facility for each applicant from the choice in the dropdown list. Each applicant in the exchanges process will then receive a notification to log in to the system to either accept or decline the changes made in the exchange process. Once all applicants have accepted the changes, a provincial coordinator will review 13 and approve the changes.

14 Appeals The appeals period will follow once the exchanges or swops period has ended. Applicants that are dissatisfied with their placements should ideally try to address this through a swop / exchange. If this is not possible, a final resort for applicants will be to raise an appeal. Appeals will be made through formal processes delineated through the ICSP system. They must be made by the individual themselves and will be subject to provincial and national approval. Appeals are reviewed by special committees set up specifically for the purpose and may delay placement. Appeals that WILL be considered Provincial bursary holders who haven t been allocated in the bursary province. Parents with minor children, and are either married or partnered, that are allocated a post that will separate the family unit. Couples that are engaged, married or partnered that are allocated posts that will require long periods of separation. Single parents with children established in educational facilities. Allocation to a facility that will severely affect health related considerations. Social compact applications that weren t addressed. Appeals that WONT be considered If you have been allocated in any of your first 3 choices. If you cite personal considerations that you didn t raise in your initial application. If you cannot show that you attempted to do an exchange / swop. Note: Once an exchange is approved and effected, no appeals or rejections will be accepted. Bursary holders can only exchange / swop for posts that are within the province providing the bursary. Once an appeal has been effected, no rejections will be accepted. 14

15 Queries and complaints Applicants should log any formal queries or complaints through the call centre (details in the box below). The preferred method of communication with the call centre is through the system or the online ticket system. You will receive a system-generated ticket number for future reference via or sms when using these systems. If you phone in to the call centre, you will be asked for this reference number, so it is vital that you follow these channels first, and keep this reference number handy. Call Centre Details icsp@dhmis.org Ticketing system: ICSP Info site: Call centre: (operating hours 08H00 16H00) The NDoH will endeavour to reply to issues submitted via within 24 hours. Issues raised through phone calls will be responded to within 3 days. Once placed in a province, the applicant will be directed through the ticketing system to the provincial contact person for further handling. Note: No queries or calls to other personnel at the national or provincial departments of health will be entertained without a ticket number. Should the applicant choose to escalate a query or complaint further, it will be implicitly understood that the applicant has granted the NDoH, province or department the right to share information regarding the application with the relevant authority. 15

16 Important points to note Failure to start on a post commencement date Any allocation and resulting offer of employment is subject to the applicant starting on the given commencement date. An applicant should not apply for a post which has a commencement date earlier than when they intend to start service. Should an applicant not be in a position to commence as planned, they should, as quickly as possible, inform the province or department which made them an offer of employment. NB: If you are unable to take up a post on the commencement date, a province may withdraw the offer of employment as per their employment contract. If changes occur before a province confirms the placement, applicants should inform the NDoH by raising a ticket through the ICSPOnline support desk (see the resources section below). If the NDoH is informed that an applicant will not complete their studies or internship as planned, the ICSP unit will inform the province and withdraw the allocation. The applicant will in then be informed and advised on how to re-apply for a post with a suitable commencement date. Individuals acting on behalf of the applicant In line with the Protection of Personal Information Act, the NDoH is unable to engage with any individual or family member claiming to be acting on behalf of an applicant unless that person is the applicant s appointed legal representative, or the applicant has granted written consent to the NDoH that the nominated person may receive specific information regarding their application. Parents and family will be referred back to the applicant should they make enquires or representations on behalf of the applicant without written consent. 16

17 Notice of criminal record or criminal proceedings An applicant must declare during the application process if they have any active criminal proceedings underway against them, and/or if they have a criminal record. Details of such must be provided immediately during the application process using the special considerations submission feature on ICSPOnline. Re-employment of former employees The Public Service Regulations (2016) prohibiting re-employment of former employees dismissed for misconduct applies to all internship and community service appointments. No applications will be considered during the prohibition period. Providing inaccurate or false information As per the terms and conditions of use of ICSP Online, all applicants are expected to provide accurate and truthful information. Applicants found to have provided information to mislead or manipulate the employer will be referred to their professional council or board for disciplinary action. Acts of corruption or ethical misconduct Note: When an applicant, or individual acting on behalf of an applicant, is suspected of having committed an act of corruption or ethical misconduct, the relevant application will be set aside pending an investigation. In terms of the Public Service Regulations, an attempt to use an official within a department to influence placements will constitute ethical misconduct. Applicants should be aware that due to improvements in data management between the NDoH, PDoH, SAMHS, DCS, Councils and Colleges, Universities and other training institutions, data on applicants will be triangulated with other data sources. Attempts to fudge data, create multiple registrations, or provide inaccurate data will be viewed in a serious light and may constitute professional misconduct that could result in formal investigation and litigation. 17

18 Foreign Nationals ICSP applications The Department of Health may offer international students who studied in South Africa internship posts or a community service placement depending on the availability of accredited funded posts, the requirements of the respective immigration legislation and regulations, the requirements of the respective professions regulations in the case of community service placements, and relevant international agreements. Foreign Nationals (Permanent Residents, Refugees, Asylum seekers and Foreign Applicants) may apply through the ICSP Online portal. 18

19 Additional resources Applicants can access support for assistance on their applications, allocations and any other aspects of the ICSP process through the following channels: The ICSP Call Centre Call Centre Details Ticketing system: ICSP Info site: Call centre: (operating hours 08H00 16H00) Applicants can also contact their faculty, college or provincial manager responsible for internet access and information technology support for assistance. ICSPOnline quick guides Several quick guides and video tutorials have been developed to assist with the use of the ICSPOnline system. These can be accessed on the ICSP info website: FAQs A comprehensive list of frequently asked questions and answers are available on the ICSP info website: 19