At its meeting on the 30th January 2010 attended by representatives of most of the specialist societies, the SAPPF Board of Directors unanimously and without abstention adopted the following resolution:

 The SAPPF resolves that it:

1. Is committed to represent the interests of its members
2. Does not recognise the SAMA SPPC as representing private specialist interests
3. Will continue to seek a solution to cooperate with SAMA

It is pertinent to recall that the SAPPF was established by the then members of the SAMA SPPC, because of prolonged frustration over many years with SAMA’s failure to represent the true interests of specialists in private practice.
 
During the course of 2009 several meetings between SAPPF and SAMA were held seeking common ground.  Despite promises from SAMA that it would reform its structure to enable the SAPPF and SAMA to unify under a re-structured organisation this has yet to happen.  Although some personnel changes have occurred these changes are not deemed sufficient to meet the needs of SAPPF.
 
The SAPPF is doing the work of the erstwhile SPPC which has not functioned since November 2008. The SAPPF has representatives from almost all specialist disciplines, representatives who have been appointed by their disciplines and SAPPF will not therefore support the re-establishment of a parallel organisation as this could result in a dichotomy within individual specialist groups.
 
SAPPF therefore urges specialist organisations that are currently represented on SAPPF, not to support the re-establishment of the SPPC, as it believes this could be inimical to the interests of specialists in private practice.
 SAPPF will continue to seek a rapprochement with SAMA in the interests of genuine professional unity.

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