Head: Clinical Services Acute

LIFE Healthcare Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 50,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in Johannesburg is seeking a Head of Clinical Services Acute to oversee clinical governance and leadership. The ideal candidate will have HPCSA registration and broad experience in South African clinical practice. Responsibilities include driving clinical quality, managing incident responses, and leading a high-performing team. This position offers an opportunity to influence clinical outcomes and patient care within a reputable organization.

Qualifications

• Broad experience of South African clinical practice.
• Knowledge of South African private health sector and health legislation.
• Previous local clinical leadership or clinical management experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and support clinical quality management and clinical governance.
• Provide oversight of incident management related to doctors.
• Lead, motivate, and coordinate a high performing team.

Skills

Problem-solving

Resilience

Influencing skills

Verbal and written communication skills

Education

Full registration with the HPCSA as a medical practitioner

Post-graduate qualification

Tools

Computer proficiency

Job description

Overview

A vacancy exists for a Head Clinical Services Acute, based at Life Head Office, reporting to the Chief Medical Officer. The successful candidate will be responsible for clinical leadership and clinical governance of the Acute services of LHC in general, including where this pertains to doctors and other clinicians working in our facilities. This includes incident management related to doctors with the focus on investigation, corrective/preventive action, outcomes review, and trending and the sharing of lessons learned. In addition, the Clinical Services: Acute Unit works to support new product development, doctor engagement, clinical performance indicators and cost-efficiency initiatives.

Critical Outputs

• Effective development and support of company strategy: As a senior manager member of the SA Management Committee, working closely with leadership teams and health professionals – ensure that clinical quality management and clinical governance is a core element of all we do. Ensure all Unit Management Committee outputs and strategy includes specific focus on enhancing clinical outcomes, the identification and management of clinical risk and improving the patient experience.

Effective and credible clinical leadership

• Support the SA Chief Medical Officer to strengthen company-wide clinical governance, ensuring that appropriate structures are in place centrally, regionally and at hospital level (e.g. Medical Advisory Committees, Morbidity and Mortality Meetings, Ethics Committees, discipline specific reference groups, international advisory groups) and are supported by the Clinical Services: Acute.
• Drive continued clinical quality - particularly doctor driven measures drawing on the guidance of the clinical reference groups, academic institutions and international thought leaders.
• Identify, champion, and support the development of clinical projects to enhance patient safety, quality of care and LHC’s competitive advantage in the healthcare environment.
• Advise the Company Management Committee of any clinical or quality risks to the business strategy; taking responsibility to ensure that these risks are mitigated or managed.
• Provide oversight of incident management, specifically related to doctors with the focus on investigation, corrective/preventive action, outcomes and trending and the sharing of lessons learned. This will be done in close collaboration with the relevant Medical Advisory Committees.
• Support the operational leadership in managing doctor behavioural concerns

People management and engagement

• Leading, motivating, and coordinating a high performing team of operational and support experts who are focused on key deliverables in line with the business unit strategic plan and group strategy
• Demonstrating visible leadership in respect of LHC values, the operating model and strategy

Clinical Directorate strategy

• Ensuring that a clear Clinical Services; Acute Directorate strategy which supports the company strategy is developed, in place and reviewed periodically which includes:
  • The development of clinical products and clinical protocols
  • Oversight on hospital and doctor clinical efficiency
  • Entrenchment of clinical governance within the business
  • Development and maintenance of relationships with admitting clinicians, specifically MAC chairs.

Regional coordination

• Provide leadership on the activities of the Regional Clinical Managers (RCMs)
• Support Regional Manager and function on managing RCMs
• Offer guidance and support on doctor stakeholder engagements

Regional engagement

• Regular engagement with Regional Managers: Business Operations to discuss Research, Development and Implementation of clinical products
• Provide regular feedback on clinical efficiency outlier hospitals
• Share concerning clinical risk trends, specifically regarding doctors working in our facilities
• Participate in the Life Healthcare research committee

Requirements

• Full registration with the HPCSA as a medical practitioner is mandatory
• Post-graduate qualification will be an added advantage
• Broad experience of South African clinical practice
• Knowledge of South African private health sector as well as South African Health legislation
• Previous local clinical leadership or clinical management experience
• Experience in successfully leading change management
• Computer proficiency

Competencies

• Problem-solving, analysis and judgment
• Resilience
• Engaging diversity
• Influencing skills
• Commercial acumen
• Motivating and developing people
• Verbal and written communication skills
• Action orientation
• Excellence orientation
• Ethical behaviour
• Building relationships & networking
• Customer responsiveness
• Organisational awareness
• Leading by example

Email [e-mail]

Closing date Friday, September 26, 2025

Internal applicants - Before making an application, you are requested to discuss your application with your line manager. External candidates will also be considered.

Life Healthcare is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Thank you for your interest in this opportunity. Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applicants who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date of this advert, should consider their application as unsuccessful.