Hospital Liaison Officer at South African National Blood Service (SANBS)

Introduction

• The incumbent will be responsible for promoting and strengthen the relationship that SANBS has with various Users, i.e. Hospitals (Public and Private), the Medical Fraternity etc. in order to promote the image of SANBS. To educate the User’s on the service provided by SANBS as well as facilitating communication, information and contact between SANBS and the Users. To act as a liaison between SANBS and various stakeholders; thereby assisting in managing the relationship between SANBS and safe blood transfusion practise. Follow up on related to transfusion reactions and mortalities.

Job description

KPA 1: Provide Information On Products and Services to Blood Users

• Creating an awareness of the quality of products and services offered to the users in accordance with clinical indicators.
• Increasing awareness of regular products available by personal visits, direct mailing; telephone calls and/or seminars.
• Participating at workshops and congresses by promoting the Services image and awareness of products and services ( /- twice per annum).
• Set up meetings with specialist consultants and Head of Departments to ensure the success of HTCs, presentations and seminars. Liaise with medical practitioners in private sector, state sector; and medical teaching facilities on products and services offered by SANBS.
• Distribute medical division publications and other approved documentation, to the physicians responsible for prescribing blood products.
• Educate users on the haemovigilance programmes and the importance of reporting errors, and near misses as well as transfusion reactions.
• Reinforce and educate blood users on the importance and relevance of look back programme and facilitate the closing out investigated cases.
• Develop, design, implement and distribute pamphlets and charts on all products and services relevant to blood users.

KPI

KPA 2: Ensure Customer Service

• Escalating product complaints and other queries from users onto the relevant division and Quality system and ensure feedback on outcome is provided to the customer.
• Ensure that updated price lists are timeously distributed to relevant customers.
• Ensure and assess customer satisfaction in terms of quality of the products and delivering of agreed service levels.
• Formulate a plan of action with the Technical Division based on the hospital needs to correct unsatisfactory service or product delivery and follow-up on the action plan.
• Attend Technical meetings to build relations with internal stakeholders as required.
• Investigate and raise non-conformances with quality assurance for any deviations from protocol and procedures in the processing, transportation, storage and issuing of blood that negatively impacts on service delivery to blood users.
• Collect, prepare and present financial data received from SANBS finance department to respective hospitals to reassure them on the appropriateness of the billing system for what they requested and are to pay accordingly.
• Provide hospital clinical and financial managers with all relevant contact details of SANBS managers to ensure faster response to emergency cases.

KPI

KPA 3: Establish and Facilitate Hospital Transfusion Committees (HTC’s)

• Identify and collate needs of users at hospitals and clinics (both state and private).
• Meet with senior hospital staff to promote establishment, maintenance and sustainability of Hospital  Transfusion Committees (HTCs).
• Attend HTC meetings as and when required dispatch and supply usage statistics and to HTC’s in conjunction with appropriate SANBS stakeholders (Technical Division) to promote appropriate use of blood and blood products, reduce wastage and save costs for both SANBS and the hospitals.
• Promote and supply information including for the Haemovigilance and the Look-back programme relevant for the respective hospitals.
• Input into the drafting and review of the national guidelines for HTC’s establishment.
• Contribute to the drafting and implementation of standard agenda items for HTCs.

KPI

KPA 4: Educate, Provide and Present Training To Nursing Staff on Blood Products

KPI

• Provide education to nursing staff with regard to the safe transfusion of blood and blood products.
• Provide workshops to trained nursing staff, as well as talks at wards, colleges and seminars.
• Developing training material and presentations.
• Liaise with the training department to ensure that educational sessions offered to doctors andnurses are registered  for Continued Professional Development (CPD) point’s allocation and distribution of certificates to the hospitals.
• Develop, review and distribute the guidelines for nurses on the use and quality of blood products.
• Assist hospitals and the department of Health (DoH) with information for the Maternal Health Project.

KPA 5: Participate in Business Planning and Budget

KPI

Provide CAPEX and OPEX requirements for the zone.

• Provide detailed travel budget and accommodation requirements.
• Provide input into the business plan to the medical officer to contribute to the divisional business plan.
• Analyse statistical trends of educational impact.
• Alter training programme to accommodate changes required.
• Submit a report on suggest changes on strategy following the analysis.

Competencies Required:

 Cognitive:

• Provide CAPEX and OPEX requirements for the zone.
• Provide detailed travel budget and accommodation requirements
• Provide input into the business plan to the medical officer to contribute to the divisional business plan
• Analyse statistical trends of educational impact
• Alter training programme to accommodate changes required
• Submit a report on suggest changes on strategy following the analysis
• Analytical thinking and attention to detail
• Judgement and Decision Making
• Problem Solving
• Planning, Organising and Monitoring

Personal:

• Provide CAPEX and OPEX requirements for the zone
• Ethical behaviour
• Self Management

Interpersonal:

• Provide CAPEX and OPEX requirements for the zone
• Conflict Management
• Knowledge Sharing
• Teamwork
• Relationship Building

Prof technical:

• Provide CAPEX and OPEX requirements for the zone
• Technical / Professional Competence:
• Best Practice Thinking
• Computer Literacy
• SAP/Meditech Skills
• Counselling Legislative Literacy

Leadership:

• Provide CAPEX and OPEX requirements for the zone

Minimum requirements

Education:

• Registered Nurse or Medical Technologist.
• Computer Literacy.
• Drivers Licence.

Experience and knowledge requirements:

•  3 Years experience in a medical environment and at 3 year’s experience in relevant field.
• Current registration with SANC or HPCSA.

Other (knowledge and skills):

• Customer service orientation.

Apply by: 2 November 2025