ECSSA is a professional society representing pre-hospital emergency care workers in South Africa, pursuing the wellbeing of patients in this environment and the professional interests of those caring for them.

What is a professional society?

A professional society is an organisation (usually established in the form of a not-for-profit entity, such as a Non-Profit Organisation, Trust or Voluntary Association) that is created with the objective of furthering, growing, representing or developing:

• a particular profession
• the interests of members of that profession; and
• the public interest in general

Who and what does ECSSA represent?

ECSSA advocates for the advancement of pre-hospital emergency care in South Africa and intends to serve as a representative organisation for the profession. The Society strives to achieve this ideal by addressing the needs of the profession through engagement with stakeholders at various levels in both the public and private sectors. ECSSA also has a very important role to play in the scientific and continuous professional development of pre-hospital emergency care by collaborating with other national and multi-national professional bodies.

What ECSSA is not

ECSSA is not a trade union created to protect and enforce the employment rights of Emergency Medical Services personnel. Although the Society certainly has an indirect interest in labour law and employment conditions, norms and standards as they apply to this particular profession, the direct objective is not to provide relief or representation in cases where any such rights or norms have been violated.

ECSSA is not a lobby group or committee in pursuit of a single particular objective or cause. The Society has a long-term strategic vision giving effect to a variety of interests having a bearing on pre-hospital emergency care.

ECSSA is not a recruitment agency. Although we will in future be advertising career vacancies within the EMS sector, our goal is not to place individuals and serve in the capacity of a recruitment agent.

ECSSA is not a statutory authority like the Health Professions Council of South Africa. The role of the Society is not to enforce law or standards, nor is it to regulate the Profession but rather to advance and represent pre-hospital emergency care.

The objectives of ECSSA include:

• To ensure the well being, safety and proper medical treatment of the patient.
• To identify, communicate and promote the general wellness of the patient.
• To identify, communicate, and promote the general wellness, professional interests and the honour of emergency care providers.
• To work with the medical profession and other professional groups in furthering emergency care.
• To encourage research in the field of emergency care in South Africa.
• To co-operate, in partnership with the medical profession, government, employers, practitioners and representatives of education, in the delineation of minimum standards for and accreditation of educational programmes for emergency care providers.
• To maintain a secured central registry of members meeting the defined competency standards (whether qualified by virtue of completion of an accredited program, by certificate or examination or other means specified by the Society).
• To establish or have representations on bulletins, newsletters and professional journals and to establish a Code of Ethics as required to assist professional dialogue and the continuing professional development of members; to establish or co-operate in conferences for the same purpose.
• To assist in the promotion of measures designed to improve standards of emergency care in the interest of the public.
• To promote the interests of the Society and to advocate on its behalf both nationally and internationally.

The ECSSA emblem

The emblem for the Emergency Care Society of South Africa is a Baobab tree with a torch in the background and a star of life. The Baobab tree is a tropical African tree, reaching up to 25 meters tall and known to live for several thousands of years. In the wet months water is stored in its thick, corky and fire-resistant trunk for the dry months ahead. The Baobab symbolises strength, endurance and life. The star of life has a well-known association with pre-hospital emergency care, and the torch represents knowledge and light, bringing all pre-hospital emergency care workers together under one society.