Quality Officer

A vacancy exists for a Quality Officer (QO), based at Life Entabeni Hospital, reporting to the Quality Manager. The successful candidate will play a critical role in supporting the efforts of the hospital quality department with the implementation and maintenance of the Integrated Quality and Environmental Management system. This will include monitoring its effectiveness, and coordinating quality efforts at Life Entabeni Hospital, Life St Joseph hospital, Life Entabeni Rehabilitation and Renal Units.

Critical Outputs

Job Purpose

The main purpose of the role of Quality Officer is to maintain and improve processes of the Quality System in collaboration with the Quality Manager, and with various departments within the hospital.

Key Responsibilities

Effective building of relationships with internal/external stakeholders:

• Ensure productive working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders (including statutory institutions) by participating in forums, cross-functional activities and by identifying networking opportunities.

Monitoring and improving Quality Processes:

• Supporting that the hospital quality and environmental sustainability objectives are reviewed annually and aligned to the Group objectives.
• Communicating the quality and environmental sustainability targets and focus areas to the employees and drive projects to achieve these targets together with HOD’s.
• Generating the hospital quality scorecard and monthly quality reports.
• Assist in collating presentations and communicate feedback on trends, risks, incidents and corrective action taken at the hospital Clinical and Quality Governance meetings.
• Support the Engineering /Services/Pharmacy/Patient Services/Nursing Manager in conducting environmental aspect/impact assessments and reporting of environmental incidents.
• Partnering with the Infection Prevention Specialist and HOD’s to ensure that the correct process management and reduction of general and hazardous waste within the hospital meets quality, legal and environmental regulations and standards.
• Driving continuous improvement through the Life Healthcare quality improvement programme (ishift).
• Participation in Patient Experience management (PXM) and CARE program.

Effective Deviation Management:

• Support the reporting, investigation and close out of all quality and environmental incidents and deviations to standards in conjunction with the HOD’s/Unit Managers.
• Promote and monitor the close outs of deviations to standards identified during internal and external audits.

Effective management of the InfoQuest data management system:

• Training of staff in the use of InfoQuest reporting system.
• Ensure all relevant staff has access as needed and checking data for accuracy and reliability.
• Ensuring that data is captured accurately and submitted by the specified cut-off dates.
• Ensuring that reports are correct, available and utilized effectively.
• Assist the Quality Manager to maintain the corrective action register.

Effective risk identification and management:

• Support the Quality Manager with conducting risk assessments on an annual basis, together with Unit Managers, in accordance with legal requirements.
• Conduct purposeful rounding to monitor if quarterly evaluation of risk action plans have been done and provide feedback to the Quality Manager.
• Assist the Quality Manager to maintain the Risk register.

Effective analyses of data (trending) and management of risks:

• Ensuring that quality data is accurately recorded, statistics analyzed and trends identified.
• Monitoring and reporting on actions taken on trends identified through Incident and Alert Management, Patient Experience Management and Customer Relationship Management System.

Effective Occupational Health and Safety Management:

• Coordinating the hospital Health & Safety Committee meetings.
• Coordinate legal appointment letters and staff training in the requirements of such appointments.
• Supporting the Quality Manager on health and safety related issues to ensure that the legal requirements are adhered to for staff safety.
• Coordination of employee injuries and occupational disease reporting - internally and externally (DOH&COID).

Emergency planning and disaster management:

• Scheduling and supporting the hospital Emergency (fire drill) and Disaster Plan annual practices.
• Tracking mock evacuation drill completion per department, and provide feedback to the Quality Manager.
• Assisting with cascading of the emergency and disaster management plans, ensuring that they are made available.

Effective document control:

• Managing and ensuring governance of the quality document control processes in the hospital through training, annual document review process and purposeful rounding, providing quarterly reporting to the quality manager.

Effective participation in internal and external audit processes:

• Assist the Quality manager with planning, coordination and participation in the internal and external audit review process.
• Assist the Quality manager in monitoring of corrective actions, monitoring of effectiveness of actions and close out of all non-conformities related to quality on InfoQuest.

Training of staff:

• Conduct training within the hospital to ensure that management and staff understand the quality, safety and environmental requirements.
• Induction training conducted using the induction booklet with focus on the legal requirements.

Requirements

• Diploma in Nursing with current SANC registration.
• Computer proficiency.
• Effective leadership skills including developed skills in ability to prioritize and follow through.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001:2015.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety legislation, COIDA.
• Understanding of the private healthcare industry, its challenges and role players.

Competencies

• Problem-solving, analysis and judgement.
• Strong verbal & written communication.
• Influencing.
• Action orientation.
• Excellence orientation.
• Customer responsiveness.
• Attention to detail.
• Resilience.
• Organizational awareness.
• Monitoring.
• Building relationships.
• Rule orientation.

Email: entabeni.cv@lifehealthcare.co.za

Closing date: Monday, November 18, 2024

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.