SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Advanced Diploma in Management of a Healthcare Unit 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
124770  Advanced Diploma in Management of a Healthcare Unit 
ORIGINATOR
MEDICLINIC (Pty) Ltd 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Advanced Diploma  Field 09 - Health Sciences and Social Services  Promotive Health and Developmental Services 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 07  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered  EXCO 0434/25  2025-08-21  2028-08-21 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2029-08-21   2032-08-21  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
This qualification is an advanced diploma level and recognises the key competencies required for management in healthcare units for managers who will work independently with minimum supervision by a higher authority in a variety of contexts.

This qualification will be particularly useful for:
  • Individuals wish to progress into management positions.
  • Existing managers.

    Rationale:
    This distance 2-year part-time or 1-year full-time qualification is designed to provide intellectual enrichment as well as an emphasis on the specialised requirements that are necessary for managing a healthcare unit. The qualification is compiled so that theoretical knowledge gained can be applied in the actual workplace, and thus experiential and workplace learning form an essential part of the qualification.

    The provision of healthcare services remains a challenge in many countries. This qualification hopes to assist in providing healthcare managers who can contribute to providing an efficient healthcare service. This thereby contributes to the goals of the World Health Organisation to make healthcare accessible to all.

    This qualification will also prepare the manager of the healthcare unit to implement the norms and standards regulations of the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) so that the quality of healthcare complies with the requirements set by the OHSC for private healthcare institutions in South Africa.

    There are currently numerous qualifications at different NQF levels for business management available, but not many that have a specific focus on healthcare service management specifically for the management of a unit in a healthcare facility.

    This qualification will benefit individual holders of the qualification, the health services industry and society in the following ways:
  • Enhance the career path of individuals, open doors for employment and provide mobility for the individual to move between different areas within the healthcare environment.
  • The qualification provides for the holistic development of individuals and the competencies required in performing the job. It is also of benefit to society, as it aims to provide efficient healthcare services. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    RPL is conducted in accordance with the institution's RPL policy Applicants must meet the minimum entry requirements, as they form the basis upon which to build specialization.

    Entry Requirements:
    The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is:
  • Diploma in Health Services Administration, NQF Level 6.
    Or
  • Diploma in Emergency Medical Care, NQF Level 6.
    Or
  • Diploma in Nursing Administration, NQF Level 6.
    Or
  • Diploma in Nursing, NQF Level 6. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework, Level 7, totalling 120 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules at NQF Level 7, 120 Credits:
  • Applied Research, 8 Credits.
  • Leadership in Healthcare Unit, 30 Credits.
  • Operational Management of the Healthcare Unit 1.1, 22 Credits.
  • Operational Management of Healthcare Unit 1.2, 60 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate knowledge and skills required for the management of a healthcare unit.
    2. Demonstrate the underpinning knowledge and the relevant leadership skills necessary as a manager.
    3. Demonstrate the ability to apply management principles and skills in the daily running of a healthcare unit.
    4. Demonstrate the ability to discuss management principles and skills in the operational running of a healthcare unit.
    5. Apply management principles and skills in the strategic running of a healthcare unit.
    6. Analyse and apply the principles of research and methodology in investigating health service-related problems and presenting relevant solutions. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Reflect knowledge correctly in the practice as a manager in a variety of circumstances.
  • Independently demonstrate management of the healthcare unit.
  • Manage unforeseen circumstances accordingly.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Demonstrate the underpinning knowledge and the relevant leadership skills necessary as a manager.
  • Apply management principles and skills in the daily running of a healthcare unit.
  • Discuss management principles and skills in the operational running of a healthcare unit.
  • Apply management principles and skills in the strategic running of a healthcare unit.
  • Build mutually beneficial relationships with all stakeholders (e.g. Personnel, doctors, suppliers, service providers).

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Handle daily personnel issues accordingly.
  • Monitor and manage incidents and risks efficiently.
  • Manage patient/client satisfaction.
  • Actively manage client experience.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Conduct workforce planning, forecasting and talent development planning.
  • Schedule personnel according to organisational and legal requirements.
  • Develop strategies to manage absenteeism in the workplace.
  • Manage the output and performance of teams.
  • Identify risks and incidents; implement precautions put in place and governance processes.
  • Perform audits according to quality policy and legislative requirements.
  • Manage patient accounts and keep up to date.
  • The learner can interpret relevant financial data.
  • Analyse financial reports and clarify or address variances.
  • Monitor and manage trends in internal and external environments.
  • Manage budgets cost-effectively.
  • Maintain the brand image.
  • Manage maintenance of the building and equipment in the unit.
  • Develop plans to optimise unit capacity utilisation according to business priority and required resources.
  • Actively investigate and motivate new opportunities.
  • Develop plans that can be implemented in the event of a major incident.
  • Compile business reports.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Apply the organisational strategy.
  • Compile a strategic plan for the unit according to the mission, vision, values, and goals of the organisation.
  • The learner provides input into strategic hospital initiatives as required.
  • Compile the following budgets: Capital, Operational, Personnel
  • Maintain and manage assets efficiently (e.g., property, plant, equipment, vehicles, vehicles, stock).
  • Adequately explain principles of project implementation.
  • Understand applicable legislation.
  • Ensure operational compliance with internal policies and standards, legislation, and regulations.
  • Describe information systems used in healthcare and discuss the benefits and disadvantages.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Research and literature review are done to come up with solutions to problems and to make decisions.
  • Utilise information /correctly for developing quality improvement plans.

    INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT:
    Work-integrated learning (WIL) is integrated throughout the qualification.
    Guidelines for Practice: The following guidelines, with due consideration of the module content and learning outcomes, shall apply to practice:
  • Clinical practice will be appropriately distributed.
  • Clinical practice is not less than 720 hours of the qualification duration of two academic years as a part-time learner.
  • Clinical practice takes place in a healthcare unit.
  • The learner will take responsibility for managing the time to achieve the necessary work-integrated learning.
  • A memorandum of agreement will be signed between the educational institution and the placement facility to obtain a commitment from the facility management to enable the learner to achieve the relevant outcomes.

    Assessment and Moderation Integrated Assessment:
    Mediclinic institutional, qualification, and subject policies will be followed to assess learners. Assessment strategies will apply subject policy, procedures, rules, and regulations, always aiming towards having valid, fair, authenticated, sufficient, current, and reliable evidence to reflect the learner's knowledge and competence to apply newly acquired skills. Mediclinic assessment and moderation policies will apply.

    The aim is to establish a learning environment to allow an interactive learning process to ensure learners achieve the desired outcomes, i.e., coaching learners and offering appropriate tutorials.
    Assessment will be formative and summative as specified. Formative assessments will take the form of assignments, tests, case studies, and clinical assessments. Clinical assessments will include cognitive, psychomotor, and affective aspects.

    Formative assessment may be given by means of:
  • Written assignments (research proposal and research report)
  • Research project
  • Portfolio of Evidence/workbook
  • Tests (written and online)

    A monthly progress report will be requested from the mentor in the clinical environment to monitor competence, affective skills, and characteristics of professionalism such as honesty, integrity, reliability, and caring.

    Summative assessment will be conducted by means of:
  • Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) / workbook
  • Written examinations.

    Security and quality assurance will be done according to Mediclinic policies, procedures, and processes. Assessments will be aligned with the relevant Exit NQF Level and Specific Outcomes, being guided by the associated assessment criteria. Assessors, internal and external moderators must have an appropriate qualification at an NQF Level above this qualification, i.e., a bachelor's degree. Learners can be assessed by assessors who have undergone the Mediclinic workplace assessment programme. Summative assessments must be done by assessors registered and qualified as assessors by a relevant ETQA. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification was compared with qualifications from Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
    Country: Switzerland:
    Institution name: The James Lind Institute.
    Qualification Title: Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare and Hospital Management. Duration: 08 months.
    Credits: 32.
    Entry requirements: Any degree in Nursing, Medicine, Chemistry and Pharmacy.

    Purpose/Rationale:
    The James Lind Institute has a fully online six to eight months Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare and Hospital Management qualification with a total of 32 credits. This qualification provides the postgraduate learner with a thorough knowledge of key areas of healthcare management and hospital administration and provides an overview of the global healthcare scenario.

    The Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare and Hospital Management is extensive, has been developed and evaluated by experienced healthcare professionals and is fully endorsed by the healthcare industry at large. This qualification is suitable for new graduates who want to make a career in healthcare, professionals already working in healthcare who wish to grow further in their career, and those who wish to shift to the healthcare sector from any other industry.

    Qualification structure Modules:
  • Stepping into management.
  • Planning.
  • Organising.
  • Controlling.

    Staffing: Human Resources Management.
  • Influencing.
    The hospital.
  • Management.
  • Clinical supportive services.
  • Administrative services.
  • Functional hospital organisation.

    Similarities:
  • The Swiss and South African qualifications provide thorough knowledge of key areas of healthcare management and hospital administration.
  • Both qualifications equip learners with management and organisational skills to the level expected of a professional working in the healthcare sector.

    Differences:
  • The Swiss qualification has a total of 32 Credits, whereas the South African qualification has a total of 120 Credits.

    Country: United Kingdom (UK)
    Institution name: The Cambridge School of Management and Leadership.
    Qualification title: Postgraduate Diploma in Health and Social Care Management.
    Duration: 9-12 Months.
    Credits: 120
    Level 7.

    Purpose/Rationale:
    This 120 credits qualification consists of eight modules of 15 credits each developed for experienced managers and leaders working in health or social care within the public, private and voluntary or independent sectors in the UK and internationally. It provides learners with an opportunity to engage with the current challenges facing professionals, service users, and policy makers in the UK. The learner's theoretical and practical knowledge and skills of health and social care are developed to work as an effective manager or leader in the hospital or health/social care organisation.

    Upon completion of this qualification, a learner will be able to:
  • Manage complex issues in the organisation to improve management practice.
  • Manage team performance for quality-of-service delivery in a health and social care organisation.
  • Develop managerial skills to manage quality in the health and social care sector.
  • Manage budget and perform financial analysis for the health and social care organisations for effective decision making.

    Modules:
  • Managing service delivery in health and social care.
  • Managing finance in health and social care.
  • Managing enterprise in health and social care.
  • Strategic marketing for health and social care.
  • Economics of health care.
  • Strategic management and change.
  • Research methods for managers.
  • Managing quality through human resources management.
  • Strategic project management for managers.

    Similarities:
  • Both the United Kingdom and South African qualifications have 120 Credits and are on Level 7.
  • Both qualifications have similarities in modules.
  • The United Kingdom and South African qualifications both combine theoretical and practical knowledge.

    Differences:
  • The Cambridge School of Management and Leadership qualification is offered for experienced managers and leaders working in health or social care within the public, private, and voluntary or independent sectors, whereas the South African qualification accepts learners who have completed a Diploma or degree in the relevant field.

    Country: United Kingdom:
    Institution name: The Cambridge International Qualifications (CIQ)
    Qualification title: Advanced Diploma in Healthcare Management
    Credits: 120 Credits.

    Purpose/Rationale:
    This qualification gives the learner an in-depth knowledge at a strategic level in general as well as in the healthcare industry context. Successful learners will develop the ability to work in Senior Managerial/ Strategic roles in the healthcare industry globally. The qualification aims to provide an opportunity for learners to develop a general grasp of business related knowledge in organisational management, prepare learners intellectually and practically for effective performance in healthcare industry, prepare and cultivate learners in all fields of general business administration to manage the various organizations on a scientific basis and to hold leading managerial positions and to develop specialised knowledge in a particular field of business in Healthcare industry to enable learner to assume greater specialisation in their place of employment.

    Qualification structure:
    Modules, each carrying 20 Credits:
  • International Human Resource Management.
  • Operations Management.
  • Strategic Change Management.
  • International Marketing Management
  • Healthcare Management and Leadership
  • Healthcare Operations Management

    Similarities:
  • The qualifications share similar modules such as Operational Management.
  • Both qualifications are at Level 7.
  • The Cambridge International Qualifications and South African qualifications both aim to equip learners with the necessary skills to successfully manage the healthcare industry.

    Differences:
  • The duration for The Cambridge International Qualifications is not specified, whereas the South African qualification is offered for 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification has the following articulation possibilities:

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Advanced Diploma in Administrative Management, NQF Level 7.
  • Advanced Diploma in Health Management, NQF Level 7.
  • Advanced Diploma in Health Services Management and Leadership, NQF Level 7.
  • Advanced Diploma in Operations Management, NQF Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Arts in Health Care Studies, NQF Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Health Sciences, NQF Level 7.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Nursing, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Management, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Emergency Nursing, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Critical Care Nursing, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Management, NQF Level 8.
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Operations Management, NQF Level 8.

    Diagonal Articulation:
  • Higher Occupational Certificate: Occupational Health and Safety Practitioner, NQF Level 5. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A. 

    NOTES 
    N/A. 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. MEDICLINIC (Pty) Ltd 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.