HEAD OF CLINICAL UNIT GRADE1 AND 2 (X1 POST)

This is a senior medical leadership position at Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital, where the successful candidate will head the clinical unit for anaesthesia. The post is open at both Grade 1 and Grade 2 levels, depending on the appointee’s experience, and is central to ensuring the safe delivery of anaesthetic and perioperative care across elective and emergency services. As head of the unit, the incumbent will be responsible for providing specialist clinical leadership, coordinating the anaesthesia team, and ensuring that the hospital’s theatre and emergency services run efficiently and safely.

Candidates must hold a Senior Certificate or Grade 12, an appropriate tertiary health sciences qualification such as MBChB or equivalent, and a recognised postgraduate qualification in anaesthetics, for example FCA (SA) or MMed Anaesthetics. Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a Medical Specialist in Anaesthetics is essential, along with current registration. For appointment at Grade 1, applicants need an appropriate qualification allowing HPCSA registration as a Medical Specialist in Anaesthetics plus seven years of relevant experience, while Grade 2 requires nine years of experience. Proof of current and previous experience must be endorsed by the human resource department. A valid driver’s licence is advantageous, and participation in commuted overtime is required where applicable.

The role demands sound clinical expertise in anaesthesia and perioperative medicine, including the assessment and management of patients for both elective and emergency procedures. The successful candidate must be competent in general and regional anaesthetic techniques, airway management, resuscitation, and the care of critically ill and high-risk patients. A thorough knowledge of anaesthetic drugs, equipment, monitoring systems, patient safety principles, and clinical guidelines is essential, as are strong decision-making, analytical, problem-solving, and prioritisation skills. Excellent communication, leadership, supervisory, mentoring, and team-management abilities are also required, along with the capacity to coordinate resources and work effectively within multidisciplinary teams such as surgery, obstetrics, orthopaedics, emergency medicine, and critical care. Computer literacy and the ability to use electronic clinical information systems are expected.

Key duties include providing and overseeing comprehensive anaesthetic and perioperative services, ensuring appropriate pre-operative assessment, intra-operative management, and post-operative care, and managing airway emergencies and resuscitation. The head of the unit will participate in after-hours, weekend, and public holiday services, promote adherence to clinical guidelines and patient safety standards, and lead clinical governance activities such as audits, morbidity and mortality reviews, quality assurance, risk management, and incident reporting. The role also involves teaching, training, supervision, and mentorship of registrars, medical officers, interns, and students, as well as contributing to research and continuing professional development. The incumbent will develop, implement, and monitor departmental policies, protocols, and standard operating procedures, and ensure the appropriate utilisation, availability, and maintenance of anaesthetic equipment, medicines, and consumables.

The post is advertised as an all-inclusive remuneration package, structured with a basic salary component and a flexible portion, and includes compulsory commuted overtime, with medical aid available as an optional benefit. This is a demanding role suited to a specialist who is committed to safe, ethical, patient-centred, and evidence-based anaesthetic practice and who can function independently under pressure while leading a team. The closing date and application process are as set out in the official advertisement, and interested candidates should ensure their experience is properly endorsed by their human resource departments.