SANC CPD Points: What South African Nurses Need to Know in 2026

If you are a nurse in South Africa, you may have recently heard people talking about CPD points and what they could mean for your SANC registration.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is not entirely new, but the South African Nursing Council (SANC) is progressively expanding its implementation. In July 2026, SANC announced the third year of its phased implementation of CPD for nurses and midwives.

So, what does this actually mean for the nurse working on the floor?

First things first: What is CPD?

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development.

The idea is fairly simple. Nursing does not stop changing once you graduate. Guidelines change, new treatments are introduced, technology develops and nurses constantly encounter new clinical, ethical and professional challenges.

CPD provides a structured way of showing that nurses continue learning and developing throughout their careers.

How many CPD points do I need?

SANC’s CPD Framework requires practitioners to accumulate 15 CPD points during an annual CPD cycle.

For Professional Nurses, Midwives and General Nurses, those 15 points are divided as follows:

Area	Points
Ethical and Legal	4
Area of Practice	6
Leadership and Management	3
Teaching	1
Research	1
TOTAL	15

This is important because it is not simply a matter of collecting 15 random points.

For example, completing several clinical courses might give you plenty of learning within your area of practice, but you still need to consider the other CPD areas applicable to your nursing category.

What can I do to earn CPD points?

This is where many nurses may be pleasantly surprised.

CPD does not necessarily mean going back to university or constantly paying for expensive courses.

SANC’s framework recognises different types of professional development. Depending on the activity and your level of participation, this may include educational sessions, workshops, workplace learning, teaching, presentations, professional discussions and research-related activities.

The number of points can differ depending on what you actually did.

Attending an educational activity, for example, is different from being the person presenting or teaching the activity.

So before spending money on multiple online courses, it is worth understanding what activities SANC recognises and what evidence you need to keep.

Do I need to start worrying about my SANC registration?

No panic, but it is definitely time to start paying attention.

SANC has been introducing CPD through a phased approach, rather than suddenly applying the complete system to every nurse in the country.

The programme entered its third year of implementation in 2026, with the scope being expanded to additional nurses and healthcare settings.

This means CPD is becoming an increasingly important part of nursing professional practice in South Africa.

Will I lose my Annual Practising Certificate if I don’t have 15 points?

This is probably the question most nurses want answered.

During the phased implementation, SANC has previously specifically stated that CPD points were not linked to the renewal of the Annual Practising Certificate (APC).

However, CPD forms part of SANC’s broader professional regulatory framework, and implementation continues to develop.

Nurses should therefore check the latest SANC circulars rather than relying on WhatsApp messages, Facebook posts or information passed between colleagues.

Be careful when someone says a course is “SANC accredited”

This is particularly important.

The introduction of CPD naturally creates a market for companies offering nurses courses, certificates and CPD points.

However, SANC has indicated during the implementation process that the accreditation system for CPD providers was still being developed.

Before paying for something advertised as a “SANC-accredited CPD course”, check the current SANC requirements and verify exactly what you are paying for.

A professional-looking certificate does not automatically mean that an activity meets SANC’s CPD requirements.

Start keeping your evidence

Even while the system is being phased in, there is one habit every nurse can start now:

Keep evidence of your professional development.

Save your certificates. Keep records of training sessions you attend. Document presentations you deliver. Keep evidence when you participate in research, teaching or other professional-development activities.

Consider creating a folder on your phone, computer or Google Drive called “SANC CPD” and saving everything there throughout the year.

It is much easier than trying to find a year’s worth of certificates later. Nurse notebook

The bottom line

CPD is becoming part of the professional landscape for South African nurses.

For Professional Nurses, the framework provides for 15 CPD points per year, spread across different areas of professional practice.

But CPD should not simply become another box nurses have to tick.

Most nurses are already learning every day. We attend training, teach colleagues, participate in quality-improvement activities, update ourselves on clinical guidelines and develop new skills.

The important change is that we may now need to become much better at documenting that learning.

And before you spend hundreds of rands chasing CPD certificates online, make sure you understand what SANC actually requires.

NurseLife Tip: Start your CPD folder now. Future you might be very grateful.

Information based on the South African Nursing Council’s CPD Framework and SANC Circular 8 of 2026. Nurses should consult the latest SANC guidance as the phased implementation progresses.