UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN & THE WESTERN CAPE GOVERNMENT CHAIR AND HEAD : DIVISION OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES INFORMATION SHEET & JOB DESCRIPTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN The University of Cape Town, founded 183 years ago, is one of the world s top universities, and ranked the leading university in Africa. Part of its mission is to be an Afropolitan university, by creating centres of research and teaching excellence that will bring together academics from South Africa, the rest of Africa and the world. It is a medium-sized institution of some 25 000 students and some 4 500 staff, of whom just over half are academic and research staff. Academically the University is divided into six Faculties (Commerce, Engineering and the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law and Science), the Centre for Higher Education Development and the Graduate School of Business. Teaching and Research is underpinned by a number of Professional and Support Departments. The University is committed to ongoing transformation to address the inequities of the past, including promoting access for students and staff. THE FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES Marking its 100th anniversary in 2012 as the oldest medical school in sub-saharan Africa, UCT s Faculty of Health Sciences has a prestigious reputation for medical achievement and path-breaking research that has impacted on health globally. It is also known for having trained some of the best health practitioners and health scientists internationally. UCT is playing a vital role in advancing South Africa s health, responding to local problems in the context of global health challenges through supporting training, research and service. The Faculty is currently composed of 11 academic departments, each comprising a number of clinical and non-clinical divisions or specializations. They include Anaesthetics, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Education Development Unit, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Human Biology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Primary Health Care Directorate, Psychiatry, Public Health and Family Medicine, Radiation Medicine, Surgery, as well as many research units, centres and institutes. Full-time academic, research and scientific/technical staff in the Faculty number about 348, of whom about 95 are professors and associate professors. There are also about 173 part-time academic, research and scientific/technical staff, as well as large numbers of Joint Appointment Staff on Western Cape Government Department of Health (WCG) and National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) conditions of service. 1
The Faculty offers undergraduate degree programmes in medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, communication sciences and a large number of postgraduate degrees at diploma, honours, masters and doctoral levels (including medical specialisations). The number of students in 2011 totalled 3641, half of whom were postgraduates. Nursing and Midwifery offers postgraduate qualifications only, viz. postgraduate diplomas, Masters and PhD degrees. Most academic staff in the Faculty are jointly employed by UCT and WCG (clinical disciplines), or by UCT and NHLS (pathology disciplines). The Faculty's main teaching hospitals are Groote Schuur Hospital in Observatory and the Red Cross Children's Hospital in Rondebosch. Student training also takes place at secondary and district hospitals and clinics and other health care and community sites in the broader Western Cape community. The pathology teaching platform is supported by academic centre laboratories at the two main teaching hospitals, a tertiary level laboratory in Green Point and a number of regional and peripheral laboratories in the province. The Faculty has drafted its own Strategic Plan, which reflects the Primary Health Care approach, a commitment to transformation and a new cultural identity to reflect its commitment to being relevant in the African context. The Faculty has a strong tradition of basic, clinical, health systems and public health research. Funding for research is available on a competitive basis from both the public sector- principally the Medical Research Council and the National Research Foundation - and international and local funders. Details of research in the Faculty are given in the University's annual research report www.research2010.uct.ac.za. UCT has set a strategic goal to expand and enhance its contribution to South Africa's development challenges. The Faculty of Health Sciences is committed to engaged, policy-relevant research and teaching, as well as to expanding opportunities for students to become directly involved in sociallyresponsive learning. THE WESTERN CAPE GOVERNMENT HEALTH SERVICES please refer to www.capegateway.gov.za/eng/your_gov/305 for further information. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES: DIVISION OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY The Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences of the University of Cape Town, consists of programmes in : Communication Sciences and Disorders, incorporating Speech Therapy and Audiology Nursing and Midwifery Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy Disability Studies The Department is committed to student recruitment practices that promote a demographic profile reflective of the make-up of South Africa. Coupled to its recruitment strategy for international students, this makes admission into any of the undergraduate or postgraduate programmes highly competitive 2
In 1937, the University of Cape Town becameone of the first two universities in South Africa to have nursing education on Campus. The Division of Nursing and Midwifery is a postgraduate university division where nurses and midwives are prepared as advanced practitioners. Preparation is based on research-informed practice and education using multidisciplinary and collaborative approaches. The Division prides itself in providing flexible, accessible education to nurses and midwives in order to facilitate provision of specialist and appropriate nursing care for the people of South Africa and the whole continent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GENERAL CONDITIONS OF SERVICE Study and research leave Permanent full time staff on academic conditions of services who fullfil the standard requirements of teaching and learning, reasearch and administration are eligible to apply. Study and research leave may be granted to a staff member to enable him/her to devote himself/herself to a period of uninterrupted study and/or research of a kind that will be of benefit to the University and scholarship generally. Professional Indemnity Insurance The University reserves the right to require appointees to clinical posts to carry personal professional indemnity insurance, at their own cost, through a group scheme, a designated scheme or an approved scheme, if they wish to engage in any private clinical practice. Medical Examination Appointment to the University s Retirement Fund (UCTRF) will be subject to a satisfactory medical report. Private Work The incumbent s primary commitment will be university academic and provincial health service responsibilities. Joint Staff on the establishment of the University of Cape Town under the Joint Agreement with the Western Cape Government are not permitted to engage in remunerative private work except under the university rules for limited private clinical practice. Roles and responsibilities of Headship The Chair and Head of Nursing and Midwifery occupies a pivotal position and is expected to provide leadership and to foster the development of the academic and clinical discipline of Nursing within an inter-disciplinary Faculty. He or she will provide leadership in the Division of Nursing and Midwifery, which in the short to medium term is anticipated to be established as a Department. The chair will take responsibility for respresenting the University in its relationship with the Province. His or her teaching and research activities will be located within the School s teaching divisions and research units, appropriate to his or her area of focus. The research focus will be on addressing African health problems as well as policy and Nursing and Midwifery practice development to improve patient outcomes, through strengthening the existing research themes, viz. Challenges, preparation and utilisation of nurse specialists; Women and Child Health in Africa; and Early detection and management of health problems to prevent negative sequelae. The Chair and Head of Division is expected to actively participate in departmental, faculty and Senate activities including serving on 3
Committees and university leadership structures that advance the academic and clinical service enterprise and, where appropriate, representing the interest of the Division and Department in meetings of Faculty Board, Senate and the university more widely. General Appointment is subject to approval by, and in terms of, the agreement entered into between the University of Cape Town and the Department of Health, Western Cape Government. The University reserves the right to appoint a person other than one of the applicants, or to make no appointment. 4
JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE: LOCATION: Chair and Head: Division of Nursing and Midwifery Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town This is a five-year contract full-time position, which may be renewable. The post is on the establishment of the University of Cape Town under the Joint Agreement with the Western Cape Government. 1. JOB PURPOSE Provide leadership in research, clinical service, undergraduate and postgraduate education and training 2. KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS The incumbent undertakes to focus his/her Key Performance Areas within the policy framework and procedures of the University. The following is required: 2.1 To provide formal academic education and training, and to provide effective academic research and management of the Division of Nursing and Midwifery within University guidelines. 2.2 To attract research funding and build a research platform. 2.3 To provide effective leadership in the Division of Nursing and Midwifery, including effective academic governance. 2.4 To provide technical support to the Department of Health of the Western Cape in the development of health systems, including clinical outreach activities. and in-service training. 2.5 To attract and develop staff of quality and provide leadership with regard to issues of diversity, transformation and equity. 3 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INCUMBENT Knowledge An indepth understanding of the history and challenges of the health system in South Africa, and familiarity with international developments in the field of health systems A sound understanding of the discipline of nursing. A detailed understanding of the role of nursing in strengthening the health system at all levels. An indepth understanding of the nursing service requirements across all levels of care. A broad understanding of the health system requirements of nursing and related disciplines across all levels of care A detailed insight into the challenges of, and opportunities for advancing health care in South Africa and Africa. Skills and Abilities Excellent leadership qualities and the ability to identify and translate strategic needs into a practical set of objectives and action plan Ability to build and maintain effective partnerships and relationships with internal and external stakeholders Excellent interpersonal, group and public relations skills 5
Key Qualifications and experience A relevant PhD qualification. Be registerable with SANC as a professional nurse and nurse educator. A management qualification would be advantageous. An excellent track record and appropriate experience in leading and managing an academic unit An excellent track record in education and training in nursing. An excellent track record of funded research, research based pubications, successful grant applications and experience with team research. An excellent track record in successful supervision of postgraduate students in the field of nursing. A commitment to shared governance with a proven record of team building and collaboration with faculty, students, staff and the broader academic and health care community 6