Consultant- to provide technical advice to PHC Team on Family Medicine. Band level B (higher end of range)

Contract

This is a No grade contract. More about No grade contracts.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The main objectives of this consultancy are to provide technical advice to PHC Team as follows:

• To support the regional and national level implementation (as part of a team of institutions/individuals) of a 2-year diploma in Family Medicine, “the Regional Professional Diploma in Family Medicine” aiming to strengthen family practice in EMR countries toward achieving UHC and Health Security – including the update and digitalization of course content, learning activities, assessment methodologies, Training of Trainers and overall implementation overseeing and coordination.
• Promotion of Family Medicine speciality in the EMR through follow up and supporting the ongoing collaboration between WHO and regional academic institutes in strengthening Family Medicine speciality (training, capacity building and continuous medical education, and interprofessional networking).
• To edit, review, present, disseminate and publish the conducted situation analysis of Family Medicine training in the EMR, including productions and retention rates, distribution, duration / modality of training and accreditation (specific country profiles).

Background

Strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) through Family Practice-based Model of care is an essential bedrock in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), as called for in Sustainable Development Goal number 3, target 3.8. However, a global shortage of family practitioners is posing significant challenges, including in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Only 700 family practitioners graduate annually in the whole Region against an estimated need for 21 000 practitioners per year.

The Regional Director of WHO EMRO has formulated a Steering Committee (SC) for promoting family practice in the EMR. The Committee has members from WHO EMRO as well as partner organizations including The Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS), the World Organization for Family Doctors (WONCA), and from academic institutions.

To help bridge this huge gap, the Steering Committee agreed on the outline of the 24-month Regional Professional Diploma in Family Medicine (RPD-FM) with two objectives: first, meeting the training duration of most accrediting bodies; second, opening career and training pathways to graduates through the option of completing the Arab Board training after graduation.

The new diploma programme will give practicing general physicians a solid knowledge of family medicine. Participants will take eight modules over two years. They will study through a mixture of online learning and face-to-face clinical training in accredited training centers, making it possible to combine the training with work as a general physician. The new diploma programme is supported by leading international organizations in the field of Family Medicine.

WHO EMRO plays a leading role in supporting regional and national level adaptation and adoption of the diploma programme providing continuing professional development activities through selected academic and training institutions, using the basic curriculum, training manual and suggested models provided by WHO and the ABHS; providing the IT support for the online part of the programme (registration system, learning management and online assessments).

1. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date: 15 October 2022

End date: 15 October 2023

2. Work to be performed

To achieve the above objectives, the consultant will perform the following:

1. To contribute to the 2 years Regional Professional Diploma in Family Medicine - a capacity building bridging training for general physicians at EMR– including the update of course content, learning activities, and assessment methodologies.
2. Coordinate digitizing content to online learning management system and co-supervise educational process for multiple cohorts with relevant training institutes.
3. Provide technical support for the regional and country level planning and implementation of the Regional Professional Diploma in Family Medicine with special emphasis on country level implementation and collaboration.
4. Coordinate with academic institutions, Ministries of Health, and other entities in conducting serial Training of Trainers (TOTs) for Tutor for the diploma programme and Health Information Systems.
5. Liaise between WHO EMRO and RPDFM Steering Committee, the Arab board for health specializations (ABHS), the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for strategic approaches to promote Family Medicine in the EMR.
6. Support advocacy for family practice through FM webpage, infographics, brochures

7. Document evidence, conduct analytical work, and draft publications on options of increasing production of family physicians in the EMR.

8. Deliverables

9. Deliverable 1: Fully functioning online modules for the Regional Professional Diploma in Family Medicine: by fully functioning we mean ensuring server and IT requirements, uploading of the developed content and assignments, allocation of online tutors to their perspective modules, and enrolment of the students the online learning management system, swiftly tackling issues that may arise.

10. Deliverable 2: Report of the tutor selection and training, student enrolment and admissions for the Regional Professional Diploma in Family Medicine.
11. Deliverable 3: Report on Regional Professional Diploma programme implementation in academic institutes in EMR.
12. Deliverable 4: Report on Steering Committee recommendations for promoting FM in the EMR.
13. Deliverable 5: Published final report on mapping and situation analysis for Family Medicine training in EMR

Specific requirements

Qualifications required:

- Advanced University degree in medicine or public health.

- Solid background in family medicine (preferably faculty member of an academic institution)

Experience required:

At least 7 years’ experience in public health and service delivery innovations.

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

• Excellent knowledge of health systems, stakeholder analysis and service delivery.
• Good communication / PR skills
• Good experience with project management

Language requirements:

Excellent knowledge of English and Arabic. Knowledge of French is preferable

Place of assignment

The consultant will work at WHO EMRO, with possible remote assignments and travel in the EMR, as needed

Medical clearance : The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Travel (If travel is involved, a medical certificate of fitness for work will be required.) All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance. Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Additional Information section

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• Remuneration is in line with WHO consultant established rates
• Successful candidates will be included in the roster for consideration for future contractual engagement via a consultancy, as they become available. Inclusion in the roster does not guarantee any future contractual relationship with WHO
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
• Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply on-line through Stellis. For assessment of your application, please ensure that: (a) Your profile on Stellis is properly completed and updated; (b) All required details regarding your qualifications, education and training are provided; (c) Your experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time.