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Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, 1982 (Act No. 19 of 1982)

Rules

Rules relating to the Practising of Para-Veterinary Profession of Laboratory Animal Technologist

4. Conduct of persons practising Laboratory Animal Technology Profession

 

General principles

 

(1) The fundamental responsibility of a laboratory animal technologist is to provide optimal and exemplary standards of humane care and use of experimental animals at all times.

 

(2) A laboratory animal technologist must base his/her personal and professional conduct thereon that he/she is a member of a learned and honourable profession and is required to act at all times in such a manner as will maintain and promote the prestige, honour, dignity and interests of the profession and of the persons by whom it is practised.

 

(3) All persons practising the laboratory animal technology profession are working towards the same common good cause, whether they are in private practice or in the service of an employer, and they must co-operate with each other and with the authorities concerned to promote that cause.

 

(4) As a professional a laboratory animal technologist is required to comply with the following fundamental principles:
(a) Integrity: To be honest and ethical.
(b) Professional Competence:
(i) To maintain the professional knowledge and skill required to ensure that competent professional services are rendered based on current developments in techniques and act diligently and in accordance with applicable technical and professional standards benchmarked against what is expected of the reasonable laboratory animal technologist considering the circumstances and geographic and demographic realities at hand;
(ii) To comply with continuing professional development (CPD), which enables a laboratory animal technologist to develop and maintain the capabilities to perform competently within the professional environment; and
(iii) To keep record of CPD credits obtained to ensure CPD requirements are met to ensure that registration with Council is maintained.
(c) Confidentiality: To respect the confidentiality of information acquired as a result of professional services and the relationships emanating therefrom, and, therefore, not disclose any such information to third parties except his or her employer without proper and specific authority, unless there is a legal or professional right or duty to disclose, nor use the information for the personal advantage of the laboratory animal technologist or third parties.
(d) Professional conduct includes but is not limited to:
(i) A laboratory animal technologist may only practice at a research animal facility registered with Council.
(ii) To be informed of and comply with all the legal directives and standards of animal ethics (SANS 10386) which are relevant to the practice of his/her profession and which include the Act, its regulations and Rules, the current Ethical Code as well as all other relevant legislation and shall, as far as within his or her power, assist in the application of these laws and standards, including all relevant institutional animal ethics committee policies and requirements.
(iii) To avoid any action that the laboratory animal technologist knows or ought to have known that may discredit the profession;
(iv) To be morally obliged to serve the public to the best of his/her ability by maintaining, at all times, the highest standards of humane care and use of experimental animals and professional conduct, in the light of acceptable scientific knowledge and procedures;
(v) Execute the instructions of a person registered to practice a veterinary profession discerningly and faithfully;
(vi) Refuse to take part in any unethical behaviour, procedure or activity;
(vii) He or she shall not seek any personal advantage at the expense of any colleague in the profession;
(viii) At all times, keep detailed and accurate records of all information and procedures performed, which shall be kept on file for at least five years or longer, as required by the relevant quality system;
(ix) To refrain from expressing criticism through which the reputation, status or practise of a colleague in the profession, other para-veterinary profession or veterinary profession is or could be undermined or injured, or through which a reflection is or could be cast on the integrity, skill, methods or conduct of such a colleague;
(x) Any registered person at a registered facility must inform the Council within thirty (30) days of any changes to the identity or address of the principal; if the principal should pass away, Council should immediately be informed.
(xi) A laboratory animal technologist must inform Council within thirty (30) days of entering into employment or partnership at another registered facility.
(xii) A copy of any record kept by an animal research facility must be submitted to Council within seventy-two (72) hours of being requested to do so by Council.
(xiii) Execute the instructions of the responsible veterinarian discerningly and faithfully.

 

(5) Unprofessional conduct is unprofessional, dishonourable or unworthy conduct on the part of a laboratory animal technologist, including, inter alia, the following acts and omissions:
(a) failure to comply with the Act, the regulations and/or Rules promulgated under the said Act, and/or the Code of Conduct and/or guidelines issued by Council from time to time;
(b) failure to comply with any other relevant legislation;
(c) performing professional services outside the scope of his/her education, training, experience and/or competence, regard being had to both the extent and limits of his/her professional expertise;
(d) failing to adequately supervise his/her staff;
(e) failure to provide an itemised account when requested to, within the period set out in Rule 7(3);
(f) treating a client in a disrespectful and/or discourteous manner, unless justifiable reasons exist;
(g) incompetence, gross negligence or any form of negligence in the practising of the laboratory animal technology profession;
(h) fraud or dishonesty in making any kind of application to Council or in charging for a test that was not performed or for services not rendered;
(i) falsifying and/or backdating any laboratory report in part or in full;
(j) in any way directly or indirectly assisting, allowing or enabling an unqualified person and/or unregistered person to perform professional services which by law only a (veterinarian and/or a) para-veterinary professional is allowed to perform;
(k) referring work, the performance of which is reserved by law to a veterinarian, specialist veterinarian or para-veterinary professional to a person not registered with Council;
(l) non-payment after demand of any fee, levy or other charge payable to the Council;
(m) failure to comply with an order, requirement, request, sentence or sanction of the Council and/ or the Registrar or any official appointed by the Council or the Registrar to perform any function in furtherance of the Council’s objectives;
(n) failure to submit to an inspection of an animal research facility required by Council where the laboratory animal technologist is the principal of said animal research facility;
(o) operates an animal research facility which is not registered with Council or does not comply with the minimum standards set out in the Rules;
(p) practising outside the scope of registration for a laboratory animal technologist;
(q) being convicted of being involved in any criminal or illegal activity, if it relates to the practising of the laboratory animal technology profession or is deemed to bring the profession into disrepute;
(r) to permit himself/herself to be exploited in a manner which may be detrimental to the animals, client, the public or the profession, or allow bias, conflict of interest or influence of others, to compromise professional judgment;
(s) failure to advise Council of any change in his/her physical residential or employment address, and other contact details, within thirty (30) days of such change being effected;
(t) failing to cooperate, obstructing or delaying an investigation into unprofessional conduct by Council;
(u) contempt and/or disrespect of Council; and
(v) any other conduct which in the opinion of Council constitutes unprofessional conduct.