Roster of consultants - Hospital Safety Programme / Hospital Safety Index

Purpose of consultancy

To contribute to strengthening safe hospital programs and hospital emergency response planning as part of resilient health facilities and comprehensive disaster risk management in countries, documentation and dissemination of best practices and lessons learned, and integrated country planning processes across health preparedness and response.

Background

The ability of health services to function without interruption during emergencies and disasters is central in saving lives and minimizing illness. Initiatives like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) have recognized the life-saving potential of health facilities and emphasize hospital safety as a priority at national and local levels. The continued functioning of health services relies on a number of key factors, namely: that health services are housed in structures that can resist exposures and forces from all types of hazards; medical equipment is in good working order and is protected from damage; community infrastructure and critical services are available to support the health services; and health personnel are able to provide medical assistance in safe and secure settings when they are most needed. Hospitals need to institute systems, procedures and capacities through the different components of the emergency management cycle to ensure these factors. The Hospital Safety Index (HSI) was developed by WHO to address the need for objective and quality measures to assess the structural safety and functionality of health infrastructure at national and community levels to withstand the natural hazards prevalent in specific context or country. The HSI is an efficient, and low-cost tool for assessing the probability that a hospital will remain operational in an emergency or disaster and objectively scores a hospital’s strengths and weaknesses, yielding actionable information and making priority recommendations to improve structural safety, functional continuity, and emergency management capacities. The individual HSI scores provide countries, decision-makers and hospital managers with objective findings on the physical structure, enabling environment and services, to determine a health facility’s ability to function in the aftermath of an emergency or disaster.

Deliverables:

A specific set of deliverables and activities will be defined for each consultant assignment.

• Deliverable 1: Review existing Hospital Safety Programme instruments and tools to determine the demands and needs for updated guidance materials.
  • 1.1. Develop, adapt and pilot the global strategies, guidelines, tools, standards and learning packages for the Programme.

• Deliverable 2: Consolidate evidence on Hospital Safety Programme activities that includes applications, contexts and utilities for strengthening, restructuring or transforming hospitals to become safe and resilient.
  • 2.1. Perform data and information management tasks associated with this area of work.
  • 2.2. Prepare a literature review and technical briefs on topics such as, but not limited to hospital risks (e.g., vulnerabilities such as climate impacts; fragile, conflict and violence-affected contexts; small island developing contexts), urban and rural contexts, capacities, etc.
  • 2.3. Prepare country case studies on hospital sector reforms in a variety of contexts.
  • 2.4. Develop metrics and monitoring strategies to measure programme implementation, including gender and vulnerable populations to ensure their representation.
  • 2.5. Provide technical expertise towards shaping the research priorities and building an evidence base for integrating Programme strategies .
  • 2.6. Contribute to knowledge management, i.e., informing about the program’s deliverables and gathering relevant knowledge from stakeholders and organizations.

• Deliverable 3: Provide technical expertise to Country and Regional Offices in assisting governments to prepare, conduct, and finalize country-level implementation of the Hospital Safety Programme in collaboration with WHO units.
  • 3.1. Provide technical expertise to countries on Hospital Safety Programme development and implementation at national, subnational and facility level.
  • 3.2. Provide technical expertise in designing and implementing the required interventions at the system and facility levels.
  • 3.3. Contribute and participate in hospitals and facility assessments at the system level (e.g., as a component of health systems and system-wide emergency management).
  • 3.4. Ensure Hospital Safety Programme activities, including assessing findings and monitoring the resulting key actions for completion.

• Deliverable 4: Synthesize global and regional Hospital Safety Programme activities to inform reporting, technical and operational implementation strategies and identify additional areas of the regional and country support.
  • 4.1. Compile best practices, lessons learned and case studies from countries to illustrate concrete benefits of risk profiles.
  • 4.2. Contribute to the preparation of global and regional meetings and knowledge management for the global and regional agenda of the Hospital Safety Programme.

• Deliverable 5: Develop and implement a Community of Practice strategy and supportive tools to facilitate cross-learning and exchange amongst multi-sectoral stakeholders.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages.

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• Band level B: First university degree in medical, paramedical, management, economics or social sciences.
• Band level C: Advanced university degree (master or equivalent) in medical, paramedical, architecture, engineering, law, management, economics or social sciences.
• Training in public health, emergency preparedness or health administration.

Desirable:

• PhD/Doctorate in Global Health, Public Health, Health Administration or related field.

Experience

Essential:

• Band level B: At least 5 years of relevant experience at national and international level in health facility emergency preparedness, readiness, resilience and risk management, or national and sub-national health administration.
• Band level C: Over 10 years of relevant experience at national and international level in health facility emergency preparedness, readiness, resilience and risk management, or national and sub-national health administration.

Desirable:

• Experience with WHO and/or other international organizations and partnerships.
• Experience in low- or lower-income countries.
• Hands-on experience in hospital management and/or local system or district management.
• Experience in policy and health system analysis.
• Experience in change management or hospital sector reform.
• Experience as a coach/mentor.

Skills/knowledge

Essential:

• Expert technical knowledge in hospital policies and/or hospital management, as demonstrated through a track record of publications (e.g., peer review journals, consultancy reports).
• Knowledge can also be specific (e.g., hospital financing, quality assurance, accreditation, hospital infrastructure).
• Demonstrated “system thinking” skills with a good understanding of health systems’ building blocks/functions and how they relate to each other.
• Excellent skills in writing and oral communication.
• Excellent skills in conducting literature searches.
• Strong computer skills including experience with Google Sheets and Office applications of Excel, PowerPoint.
• Expertise in health services integration and network development.
• Expertise in a district or sub-national health system management.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of French.

Location

Off-site - Home based.

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level B-USD 350 - 499 per day or USD 7,000 – 9,980 per month.
Band level C-USD 500 - 625 per day or USD 10,000 - 12,500 per month.

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

Contract duration varies depending on assigned tasks.

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 and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly 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 each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html

For roster VNs:

The purpose of this vacancy is to develop a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in this advertised roster. All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) upon conclusion of the selection process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables. Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection to a consultant contract. There is no commitment on either side.