MEDICAL OFFICER GRADE 1-3

This position offers a rewarding opportunity for qualified medical practitioners to join the Free State Department of Education at Katleho District Hospital, serving as a Medical Officer at Grade 1, 2, or 3 level depending on experience. The role is central to the hospital's clinical operations, requiring the successful candidate to manage a broad spectrum of medical conditions and ensure that competent, responsive healthcare services are delivered to all patients who present at the facility. This is an OSD-graded post, meaning the all-inclusive remuneration package is structured with a basic salary component and a flexible portion that can be arranged according to applicable public service rules, with medical aid available as an optional benefit for those who meet the prescribed requirements.

Applicants must hold a Matric certificate and an appropriate qualification that permits registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a Medical Practitioner in Independent Practice, along with current annual registration with the HPCSA. The grade at which a candidate is appointed is determined by their years of relevant experience after registration. For South African qualified employees, Grade 1 requires no post-registration experience, Grade 2 requires a minimum of five years, and Grade 3 requires at least ten years of appropriate experience. Foreign qualified employees who are not required to perform community service in South Africa must have one, six, or eleven years of relevant experience respectively for Grades 1, 2, and 3. The role demands extensive knowledge of Public Service legislation, policies, and procedures, as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong report-writing abilities including medico-legal reports, and sound interpersonal skills underpinned by honesty, integrity, and exemplary work ethics.

The core duties involve managing all medical conditions to provide competent patient care, with compulsory and non-negotiable commuted overtime duties. The incumbent will supervise and train junior staff to ensure adequate medical care and to develop their capacity for key medical interventions. Responsibilities also include consulting patients on an outpatient basis for optimal chronic disease management and long-term follow-up, as well as briefing, informing, and counselling patients and their relatives regarding prevention, treatment, operative procedures, complications, and rehabilitation. The role further requires the practitioner to develop skills in resuscitative measures and intensive care treatment to improve survival outcomes for critically ill patients.

The department is committed to promoting representativity, and preference will be given to candidates from designated groups, particularly people with disabilities, women, and youth. Applicants should note that only shortlisted candidates will be required to submit certified documents, and all shortlisted applicants will undergo personnel suitability checks covering criminal records, citizenship verification, financial records, and qualification verification, with possible consent required for access to social media accounts. Foreign qualifications must be evaluated by the South African Qualification Authority, and new public service appointments are required to join the Government Employee Medical Scheme to qualify for a government medical subsidy. Candidates who accepted voluntary severance packages may not apply, and the department reserves the right not to fill the position.