Quality and Assurance Specialist

Function

Quality

Facility

Head Office

Position

Quality and Assurance Specialist

Introduction

A vacancy exists for a Renal Quality and Assurance Specialist based at Life Healthcare Head Office, reporting to the National Renal Quality Manager. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality dialysis care through rigorous quality management, clinical audits, and compliance with regulatory standards. Leads continuous improvement initiatives across renal units, driving excellence in patient outcomes, safety, and operational efficiency.

Critical Outputs

Quality Management: Renal Audits

• Coordinate internal and external audits across dialysis units ensuring alignment to Life Healthcare Quality auditing policy and process.
• Undertake Head Office verifications.
• Update of findings on gateway and close-out together with Nursing and Quality function leads.
• Provide support with implementation of renal audit programs.
• Ensure timeous reporting and close out of actions across all renal units.
• Support teams with thorough follow of findings and learnings.
• Work together with LHC functional support to drive training and improvements aligned with findings.

Quality Management: Renal Documentation 

• Maintain document control for Renal policy, protocols, and clinical guidelines.
• Support Renal business managers, ensuring that all patient records are accurate and complete (manual record keeping and electronic systems e.g. Euclid, TMon, RCO and CMS).
• Conduct periodic audits and Risk Based Checks of patient records ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
• Conduct and report on Renal Risk Assessments across all units. Enhance staff awareness and proactive risk mitigation.
• Ensure all identified risks are mitigated effectively and closed out.
• Promote improved clinical outcomes through Quality and Clinical governance structures, ensuring compliance with treatment protocols.
• Work closely with the National Renal Quality Manager and LRD management team to align governance initiatives with organizational standards and policy.
• Support Renal business, College of Learning and Nursing to create pipeline for training of renal staff (accredited and non-accredited) courses and qualifications.

Continuous Quality Improvement:

• Support and assist with the rollout of QI projects using methodologies, including implementing key performance indicators (KPIs) and quality cycles.
• Support with rollout of I-shift/ PDSA quality cycles and ensure cascade of information is filtered to renal clinical teams.
• Support data-driven decision-making.

Customer Satisfaction/ Patient Experience:

• Support with alignment to LHC policies for reporting of Customer Satisfaction/ Patient Experience.
• Support Quality Management teams with implementation of CARE program into Renal standalone units.
• Monitor key clinical performance indicators, including treatment effectiveness and patient outcomes.

Legal, Safety & Health: 

• Assist business in preparing for inspections to ensure all units comply with regulatory requirements for Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labour (DOL), Occupational Health & Safety (OHS).
• Collaborate closely with Renal Management teams to implement necessary corrective actions.
• Review monthly OH&S checklists, identify gaps, and implement preventative actions to maintain a safe environment for staff and patients.
• Minute Health & Safety Committee meetings and collate monthly SHEQ reports.
• Work closely with LHC SHEQ teams to maintain list of representatives and on-boarding of new representatives.

Adverse event and SRE: 

• Monitor and report on adverse events and near misses across Renal Business.
• Participate in renal unit team meetings for investigation and mitigation of adverse event and serious reportable events (SRE).
• Undertake root cause analysis on all incidents reported, corrective action planning, and ensure thorough documentation.
• Ensure timeous close-out of Renal SRE actions.
• Work together with Renal Management teams to close identified gaps and ensure optimal standards of patient care are maintained.
• Provide targeted interventions to prevent recurrence.

Occupational Health & Safety Management:

• Ensure employees are aware of the procedure for reporting injuries and occupational diseases.
• Ensure all injuries and occupational diseases have been reported to the relevant bodies e.g. COID, DOL, DOH, NICD. Must be evidence based. 

Injury on Duty (IOD):

• Tack and report on all Renal Injury on Duty ensuring appropriate close out.

Emergency/ Disaster Planning:

• Collate and track emergency/ disaster plans for standalone units, updated within last 12 months and staff trained.
• Document evidence of debriefings conducted after emergencies/ exercises and actions implemented.

Environmental Management:

• Track, measure, and report on water, electricity, and waste management in alignment with Environmental, Social, and Governance targets.

Leadership responsibility: Project Management and Innovation

• Regularly evaluate patient care processes to identify areas for improvement. Collaborate with the Renal Training Specialist to align training on quality cycles and best practices.
• Work closely with regional teams to ensure successful implementation and adherence to project timelines.

Leadership responsibility: Staff Leadership and Development 

• Work together with National Renal Quality Manager to support management teams to foster a culture of accountability and professional growth.

Quality Reporting & Statistics:

• Prepare comprehensive monthly reports on clinic performance, highlighting achievements, challenges, and action plans.
• Use data insights to guide decision-making and identify opportunities for operational improvement.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse (Bachelor’s Degree in Nephrology) or Renal Technologist (Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Technology Nephrology)
• Minimum 5-10 years experience in chronic hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, acute continuous replacement therapies
• Experience with auditing of Renal dialysis units (qualification in auditing will be beneficial)
• Experience in healthcare provider organizations
• Detailed know-how on framework of renal care in healthcare provider organizations
• Understanding of all elements relevant to providing renal care in healthcare provider organizations
• Understanding of link and dependence of elements to provide renal care in clinical organizations

Competencies

• Strong experience in program management
• Excellent presentation, communication & selling skills
• Enthusiasm, social competence and strong relationship building skills; understands and values social diversity
• Strong focus on patient well-being and strong understanding of chronic disease (promote respect, empathy and compassion)
• Excellent understanding of the healthcare systems
• Strong business focus and good financial acumen
• Good planning & project management skills
• Creative, able to identify opportunities and to adapt the approach to different situations
• Collaborative and supportive

Email

renalcareers@lifehealthcare.co.za

Closing date

Thursday, October 9, 2025