Head of Department, Family Medicine / GP

About the role

The Head of Department, Family Medicine / GP provides clinical, operational and administrative leadership for the combined Family Medicine and General Practice department, covering outpatient, inpatient and referral services. The role maintains clinical standards, strengthens clinical governance, supervises medical personnel and coordinates with other hospital departments and managed-care providers. It reports to the Chief Medical Officer / Head of Clinical Services and sits in the Medical / Clinical Services department.

Key responsibilities

• Establish, maintain and audit clinical care, patient safety and governance standards in line with regulatory and accreditation requirements.
• Coordinate medical staffing, duty rosters, outpatient clinics and ward coverage to ensure continuity of care.
• Provide senior clinical oversight for complex cases, diagnosis, treatment planning and referrals.
• Supervise, mentor, appraise and support the professional development of consultants, medical officers and trainees.
• Collaborate with nursing, pharmacy, diagnostics, specialist departments and managed-care/HMO teams.
• Monitor departmental performance, patient outcomes, clinical documentation and adherence to protocols.
• Lead clinical audits, quality-improvement initiatives and corrective actions.
• Contribute to departmental budgeting, resource planning and use of personnel and equipment.
• Take part in hospital committees, management meetings and clinical governance forums.
• Promote preventive healthcare, continuity of care and management of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

Required profile

• Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS or MBChB) from a recognised institution, with completed housemanship/internship and NYSC or a valid exemption.
• Recognised postgraduate specialist fellowship in Family Medicine or a relevant discipline; additional postgraduate qualifications in public health, healthcare administration or clinical management are desirable.
• Full registration with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and a valid annual practising licence; Fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria or the West African College of Physicians is desirable.
• Minimum of 8-10 years of post-fellowship specialist experience and at least two years in a departmental leadership, supervisory or clinical management role.
• Demonstrable experience leading a clinical team, clinical governance, quality assurance, audit and staff appraisal, and managing complex cases and referrals.

Required skills

• Strong clinical leadership, decision-making and team leadership, with mentoring and staff-development capabilities.
• Excellent knowledge of family medicine, general practice and chronic-disease management.
• Sound understanding of clinical governance, patient safety and healthcare regulations.
• Competence in clinical audit, quality improvement and performance monitoring.
• Proficiency in electronic medical records and hospital information systems.

Candidates apply by submitting an updated CV and professional credentials to the employer's hiring channel, using the job title as the subject line; only those meeting the stated qualifications and experience will be considered.