19/10/2026
💙🩺 LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF A PCDT PHARMACIST!
Did you know that your PCDT pharmacist can do so much more than dispense medication?
At CMA Pharmacy & Clinic, it has come to our attention that many members of our community may not be fully aware of the services and professional responsibilities of a Primary Care Drug Therapy (PCDT) pharmacist.
We would love to take this opportunity to educate, inform and create a better understanding of the important role we play in primary healthcare. 💙
🩺 SO, WHAT EXACTLY CAN A PCDT PHARMACIST DO?
A PCDT pharmacist is a registered pharmacist who has completed additional training and holds the required authorisation to provide specified primary healthcare services.
Within our approved scope of practice, we are authorised to:
✅ Assess and diagnose certain medical conditions.
✅ Prescribe appropriate medication, including specified Schedule 1–4 medicines.
✅ Treat a range of common illnesses and health concerns.
✅ Provide professional clinical consultations.
✅ Refer patients for further medical attention when necessary.
✅ Declare patients medically unfit for work and issue medical certificates for up to THREE DAYS, when clinically justified.
📢 AN IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY
The South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) has officially clarified the authority of PCDT pharmacists in its practice advisory.
The Council confirms:
“A PCDT Pharmacist may declare a patient unfit for work and issue a medical certificate for a period not exceeding three (3) days.”
This confirms that issuing medical certificates is a recognised part of an appropriately authorised PCDT pharmacist's professional practice.
💙 BUT LET US BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT!
A consultation does NOT automatically qualify a patient for sick leave.
At CMA Pharmacy & Clinic, we take our professional and ethical responsibilities seriously.
A medical certificate is issued ONLY when a proper clinical assessment determines that a patient is medically unfit to perform their work duties.
Not every illness requires time off work.
Not every patient who visits our clinic will receive a medical certificate.
And medical certificates are certainly not issued simply because someone requests a day off.
Our responsibility is to assess, treat and make clinically appropriate decisions — not to provide sick notes on demand.
🤝 WE DO NOT REPLACE MEDICAL DOCTORS — WE ARE PART OF THE SAME HEALTHCARE TEAM!
This is perhaps the most important message we would like to share.
PCDT pharmacists are not medical doctors, and we do not claim to be.
We have our own qualifications, training and clearly defined scope of practice.
Our role is to work alongside medical doctors, not instead of them.
There are conditions we are qualified and authorised to manage, and there are conditions that require further medical assessment.
Recognising those boundaries and referring patients appropriately is part of responsible, professional healthcare.
Healthcare is not about competing professions. It is about working together to provide the best possible care for every patient. 💙
🌿 AT CMA PHARMACY & CLINIC
We are proud to have TWO qualified PCDT pharmacists available to assist our community.
We are passionate about providing accessible, affordable and professional primary healthcare while maintaining high standards of ethical patient care.
💙 To our community: We are here to listen, assess, diagnose, treat and guide you.
Whether you are feeling unwell, need advice about a medical condition or require a professional consultation, our team is here to help.
Different qualifications. Different scopes of practice. One shared purpose — better patient care. 💙
📍 CMA Pharmacy & Clinic
226 Voortrekker Road, Monument, Krugersdorp
📞 083 534 1232
📅 Book your consultation with either of our PCDT pharmacists:
https://cma-pharmacy-and-clinic.bookem.com
💙 CMA PHARMACY — YOUR HEALTH. OUR PRIORITY.
