Page Content

​

Health Systems Strengthening UnitClinical Laboratory Advisor – eThekwini District

PURPOSE

The Health Systems Trust (HST) wishes to appoint one Clinical Laboratory Advisor to serve the South Africa Sustainable Response to HIV and TB (SA SURE PRO) Project in eThekwini District.

The project aims to strengthen local capacity for the provision of sustainable HIV- and TB-related care and treatment through community- and facility-based services. This incumbent will provide strategic direction and operational support to the project team and ensure compliance with the project's financial and reporting requirements.

Working collaboratively with the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) and the Department of Health (DoH) to strengthen the clinic−laboratory interface (CLI) in eThekwini, the Clinical Laboratory Advisor will provide technical assistance to develop and implement quality improvement (QI) standards and systems for HIV and TB care.

This is a fixed-term contract position, renewable based on continuation of funding. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIESProvide technical assistance and mentorship to the District DoH structures and municipal project-supported facilities in the district. Provide direct service delivery to monitor and implement eLABS e-Continuous Quality Improvement (eCQI), the Results for Action (RFA) Dashboard, and CLI interventions.Conduct site visits, and perform baseline and ongoing assessments to evaluate progress achieved in implementation of project plans. Provide on-the-spot training and mentorship on performance gaps identified and monitor these on a monthly basis. Provide technical assistance to support differentiated care activities through WebView access to pending viral load (VL) results, VL rejection rate support, and ensuring availability of laboratory consumables at facility level.Provide technical assistance and trainings on the NHLS Primary Health Care (PHC) Laboratory Handbook. Provide technical support with a focus on laboratory impact indicators and monitor results review, filing, and management of pending results with the teams.Support District, Sub-district and Facility Management Teams to meet at least every quarter with local laboratory management (the District Health Team and regional laboratory staff) to address any bottlenecks identified − e.g. long turnaround time (TAT), high rates of specimen rejection, courier scheduling and adjustment.Provide on-site mentorship for VL specimen rejections and develop quality improvement plans (QIPs).Support the facilities providing point-of-care tests (PoCT) to strengthen HIV Testing Services (HTS), and implement Rapid Testing Continuous Quality Improvement (RTCQI). Provide technical assistance to the DoH on the roll-out of Stepwise Process for Improving the Quality of HIV Rapid Testing (SPI-RT) assessments at facility level.Support the community and facility teams with implementation of RTQCI activities and developing QIPs for facilities to reach and sustain National Certification qualification.Ensure that all project reports are completed and submitted in accordance with workplans and funder requirements.Support the procurement and distribution of IQC samples for the community-based Outreach Teams. Provide technical support to teams for Proficiency Testing (PT) surveys and submissions to the NHLS.Understand and apply the HST and SA SURE PRO strategy around implementation of QI approaches/plans at health facilities in the district.Participate in strategic meetings with work-stream leads and other stakeholders. Develop an annual sub-district project plan aligned with the macro-plan for the SA SURE PRO project.  Identify topics for case studies and success stories, and support staff in developing these outputs. Submit weekly, monthly and quarterly reports.

 

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum qualifications and training

A degree or diploma in Medical Biotechnology or Medical Science.A postgraduate degree or diploma in Medical Biotechnology or Medical Science.A certificate in Project Management will be an added advantage. Certification as a Master Trainer for RTCQI would be an added advantage.Certification as a Master Trainer for eLABS would be an added advantage.

The incumbents must have expertise in at least one of the following areas:

Health systems: Demonstrable knowledge of health system strengthening, including the World Health Organization framework of health system building blocks Leadership and management: Relevant HIV management training Clinical care: Understanding of QI processes and concepts Monitoring and evaluation: A good understanding of the importance and role of health information systems in health system strengthening.

Specific experience required

At least five years' experience with laboratory processes At least five years of project management experience, particularly in the design, administration, management and implementation of public health programmes, including supervision of staff and reporting Previous work experience within the public health sectorPrevious experience of working in and/or with non-governmental organisations or donor-funded programmes would be an advantage.

Overall competency requirements

Extensive knowledge of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmesGood understanding of the South African public health system, including national and provincial health policies and management structuresSkills to build and maintain relationships with multiple stakeholders Excellent facilitation skillsProficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) Ability to work with minimal supervision and to be deadline-driven.

Travel

The incumbent must have a valid driver's licence and be willing and able to travel as required.

REMUNERATION

A salary package commensurate with the successful candidate's experience and qualifications and in line with HST's job grading system will be offered.

APPLICATIONS and ENQUIRIES Interested applicants must complete their application online at: https://careers.hst.org.za/
Applicants are to ensure that their online applications are completed in full, and that comprehensive CVs are uploaded with the online application in order to be considered.
Applicant's CV must be saved with a filename reflecting their name and surname.
No applications sent via e-mail will be considered for the job, as all applicants must submit their applications online at the provided link.

PLEASE NOTE: Personal information collected is processed lawfully in terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).Preference will be given to applicants residing in KwaZulu-Natal.Shortlisted candidates will be requested to submit certified copies of all qualifications and identity documents.Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.Correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates.Shortlisted candidates will be subjected to reference and credential checks.If you have not been contacted within 30 days of the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful.HST reserves the right to not fill this position.

 

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 17 July 2024

Health Systems Trust subscribes to diversity and inclusivity, which is informed by the Company's Employment Equity Plan.Based on this, African males and people with disabilities who meet the job specifications (including but not limited to the required skills, knowledge and education), are encouraged to apply.