Clinical Nurse Practitioner

The Clinical Nurse Practitioner (CNP) will serve as a clinical and technical anchor for integrated mental health care. The role will support implementation of the programme’s mental health cascade by strengthening routine screening and early identification, timely linkage to quality, decentralised and person-centred care, retention and continuity of treatment, and access to structured functional recovery and reintegration pathways for clinically stable clients. The CNP will provide direct clinical services, coordinate multidisciplinary care, strengthen referral and follow-up pathways, and help in building the capacity of DoH teams.

Early identification and integrated screening

• Support routine, targeted mental health screening across PHC service platforms
• Conduct or support clinical assessment of clients with positive screening results and determine the appropriate next step in care.
• Promote respectful, non-stigmatising and culturally responsive care, with deliberate attention to population groups that may be missed or poorly retained in routine services.
• Support facility teams to integrate approved mental health tools, standard operating procedures and job aids into routine workflows.

Clinical management and quality of care

• Manage common mental health conditions within the CNP’s authorised scope of practice and applicable DoH guidelines.
• Develop individualised care plans that integrate clinical treatment, psychosocial support, follow-up and referral requirements.
• With guidance from the psychiatrist, administer medication, and monitor treatment response.
• Provide health education to clients and, with informed consent, involve family or household members where this strengthens recovery and continuity of care.
• Coordinate access to specialist psychiatrist input through scheduled outreach and case consultation.
• Conduct clinical record and file reviews, identify gaps in care, and lead corrective quality improvement actions with facility and programme teams.
• Monitor availability and appropriate management of essential mental health medicines and supplies at supported facilities and escalate risks through established DoH channels.

Functional recovery, reintegration and continuity of care

• Assess and document functional recovery and reintegration readiness as part of ongoing care, including the client’s ability to resume meaningful family, social, learning and work related roles.
• Work closely with counsellors and social workers in developing person-centred reintegration plans.
• Facilitate appropriate referrals to skills development, education, employment, return-to work, enterprise, social protection or other support pathways.
• Review clients showing poor treatment response, disengagement, and coordinate timely adjustment or escalation of care.

Multidisciplinary care and referral coordination

• Coordinate clinical inputs within the multidisciplinary team and participate in structured case discussions, particularly for clients with complex needs or requiring specialist review.
• Strengthen referral pathways and feedback mechanisms between PHC facilities, hospitals, psychosocial services, ward-based outreach teams and relevant government or community referral partners.
• Communicate efficiently and professionally with facility managers, district teams and other stakeholders to resolve service-delivery barriers.

Capacity building, mentorship and systems strengthening

• Train, and mentor DoH nurses and other relevant health workers on integrated screening, assessment, management, referral and follow-up.
• Identify competency gaps and contribute to practical capacity-development plans, case reviews, file audits and workplace-based learning.
• Support consistent application of clinical guidelines, ethical standards, dispensing requirements and programme standard operating procedures.

Programme coordination and implementation support

• Develop and implement facility-support plans aligned with programme targets, identified gaps and district priorities.
• Coordinate assigned clinical activities, specialist visits, mentorship sessions and follow-up actions, and report progress and constraints to the Project Manager.
• Provide day-to-day technical guidance to designated programme staff; where formally assigned, supervise staff performance in accordance with Anova policies.
• Participate in programme, facility, district and stakeholder meetings relevant to implementation, service integration and referral pathways.
• Undertake other relevant duties agreed with the line manager and consistent with the purpose and professional scope of the role.

Documentation, data use and reporting

• Ensure complete, accurate and confidential recording of screening, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, referral, follow-up and recovery information in approved clinical records, registers and programme systems.
• Contribute to cascade-aligned monitoring of reach, linkage to care, treatment continuity, functional recovery and reintegration outcomes.
• Compile and submit accurate technical-assistance, activity and clinical-quality reports within required timeframes, and participate in data-quality and programme audits.

Qualifications and experience

• Diploma or degree in Nursing
• A postgraduate qualification or additional training in psychiatric or mental health nursing will be an advantage.
• Current registration with the South African Nursing Council.
• PC 101/Adult Primary Care training or certification
• At least three years’ relevant experience in a PHC or community-health setting, including exposure to mental health, HIV/TB, NCD or other integrated chronic-care services.
• Demonstrated experience in clinical mentorship, quality improvement, multidisciplinary care or programme implementation.
• Valid driver’s licence and willingness to travel regularly between supported facilities and communities.

Key competencies and attributes

• Sound clinical assessment, decision-making and case-management skills.
• Good working knowledge of integrated PHC, common mental health conditions, psychotropic medication within PHC scope, referral systems and continuity of care.
• Strong facilitation, mentorship, supportive supervision and presentation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary and intersectoral teams while maintaining clear clinical accountability.
• Strong planning, coordination, problem-solving, analytical and report-writing skills.
• Ability to interpret routine programme and clinical data and translate findings into practical improvement actions.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate in languages commonly used in the target communities will be an advantage.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Attention to detail, confidentiality and willingness to work flexibly when programme needs require it.

Anova Health Institute is an equal-opportunity employer. In accordance with its Employment Equity goals and plan, preference will be given to suitably qualified applicants from designated groups, as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, as amended. Preference will also be given to suitably qualified residents of the John Taolo Gaetsewe and ZF Mgcawu districts in the Northern Cape.