National Consultant - mhGAP clincal supervisor (Roster)

Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of this vacancy is to develop a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in this advertised roster.

The overall objective of the assignment is to support the provinces (districts) and the Municipalities of 14 districts implementing WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health in providing clinical mentoring & supervision of mhGAP trainees and managing referral care services based on district level general hospitals.

Background

Nepal is part of WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health since 2021. The Ministry of Health and Population has endorsed a multi-year logical framework to effectively implement the WHO Special Initiative of Mental Health in Nepal. The workplan has focused to strengthen health systems and services to leverage the implementation of the National Mental Health Strategy and Action Plan 2020 substantially.

The Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD), Department of Health Services has been implementing the Community Mental Health Care Package 2017. The experience of implementing this package highlights the need for quality trainers, the ongoing clinical mentoring and service availability at district level general hospital. Based on this and other international experience, EDCD has been revising the package as a new national mental health program. The roll out of package will require substantial training and clinical mentoring to service providers and program managers. More importantly, the revised national program has readjusted the focus to strengthen mental health service at district level general hospitals. This includes supporting these hospitals to run periodic mental health clinics by a specialist with additional purpose to support district health facility in training, mentoring, supervision, and referral.

Deliverables

The following are the tasks for the mhGAP clinical supervisor:

• Serve as a trainer in in 2 mhGAP training sessions organized by government and/or WHO. The training sessions will be of 4 or 5 days each for two sessions (equivalent to 8 - 10 working days during entire consultancy)
• Organize virtual case conference-based supervision in a small group of 5-10 providers every month. This will require up to 5 sessions to cover all mhGAP trained doctors and paramedics in the district (equivalent to 2 working days per month)
• Runs monthly Mental Health OPD in district hospital to provide referral care for the referred cases from primary care team in the district. In addition, the specialist will also organize a supervision session among district team on implementing team chronic care model with continuity of care, referral co-ordination and community out-reach (equivalent to 2 working day per month)
• Answer the queries over phone from mhGAP trained primary care team from the district (equivalent to 1 working day per month)
• Moderate social media group of health care providers from the districts and municipalities to guide and mentor the team of primary care providers (equivalent to 1 working day per month)

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: MBBS from a recognized university.

Desirable: MD in Psychiatry and have undergone mhGAP Training of Trainers and Supervisors (ToTS)

Experience

Essential: At least 2 years of clinical mental health experience

Desirable: Experience working at subnational level (Provinces/Districts)

Skills/Knowledge:

General computer skills such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel etc and excellent spoken and written skills on Nepali and English

Location

Kathmandu and/or Provincial headquarter; travel once a month to any of the two districts below in the province:

Bajhang, Baitadi, Dailekh, Kalikot, Bardiya, Rukum East, Lamjung, Myagdi, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk, Mahottari, Rautahat, Bhojpur, Panchthar

Travel

The consultants are expected to travel to assigned districts in the province every month for 1 day for clinical mentoring/supervision and referral care.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

• Remuneration: Will be based on academic qualification and professional experience
• Expected duration of contract: 6 days a month for 11 months with possibility of extension with additional 10 days as a trainer.

Additional Information

• 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.
• 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 are encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• 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.
• This assignment is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by persons recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station/assignment location.