Closing date: 09 Dec 2009 -- (CLOSED)
Location: Liberia - Buchanan
Job Description
Position: Specialist Doctor (with Surgical Skills)
Location: Liberia - Buchanan
Contract Duration: 6 Months
Starting Date: ASAP
Responsible To: Health Coordinator
Works With: Liberian Government Hospital staff and County Health Team
Salary: Between £21’471 and £23’696 per annum (dependant on relevant experience) inclusive of annual Cost of Living allowance.
Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, free return flights, annual loyalty bonus and 24 days annual leave.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date. Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.
Merlin International Profile
Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.
Context and Background
Due to a lack of qualified health workers, a dilapidated health infrastructure and insufficient government funds following two civil wars, Liberia’s health care system is only beginning to make the transition from emergency to development phase. Merlin was one of the few agencies to remain throughout the last civil war and since 1997, has been working with the Ministry of Health in Liberia to renovate health facilities, supply medicines and equipment, and train and supervise health workers.
Merlin currently supports fifty-three primary health care clinics, three youth drop-in centres, four hospitals with referral services and a midwifery training school throughout six counties integrating and mainstreaming cross-cutting programs (Reproductive Health, Gender Based Violence and HIV/AIDS) within all program interventions.
All Merlin projects are designed to build the capacity of Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoH&SW) staff and Merlin has implemented specific projects to provide national level training of County Health and Social Welfare Teams (CH&SWTs) to develop their management skills and capability to assist in the transition of service delivery support to the government.
Main purpose of the role
The Specialist Doctor (with Surgical skill) will provide overall surgical, obstetric, medical and technical support to the Secondary Level Hospital in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the Liberian Ministry of Health, WHO and Merlin. You will also support the County Health Team with planning, coordination, supervision, quality improvement and staff development to provide quality health care in the Merlin supported Liberian Government Hospital (LGH).
Overall Objectives (scope)
Will be to:
- To provide elective and emergency surgical services within Liberia Government Hospital in Buchanan in collaboration with the hospital staff
- To coordinate and strengthen further the overall management of the hospital in close collaboration with County Health Officer (CHO), Hospital Administrator, Nursing Director and Merlin project management team.
- To build the capacity of the hospital management and clinical staff through on-the-job-mentoring and implementing thematic capacity building plans in collaboration with CHO counterpart and PMC
- To analyze and interpret hospital data with the Health Coordinator on regular basis for timely and informed decision making
- To design and implement various quality assurance mechanisms for periodic monitoring and evaluation for the hospital services
- In collaboration with the Health Coordinator To implement efficient drugs management system and to ensure no stock out for essential items through total stock review and appropriate planning to initiate procurement following “buffer stock and lead time concepts”
- To assist the project management team (PMC) in preparation of timely reports either on monthly basis or periodic basis for donor
Responsibilities
Program/Technical Support
- Conduct elective and emergency surgical consultations, and in-patient services including conducting regular ward rounds in close collaboration with LGH staff and CHO following national and international standards
- Assist in reviewing/preparing hospital based medical and surgical protocols and data collection tools as required in collaboration with LGH staff, Health Coordinator and Hospital Nursing Director and ensure the team is fully conversant with and trained in the same
- Design and implement thematic capacity building plans (with a focus on clinical case management) for LGH staff in close collaboration with the Hospital Medical Director and Health Coordinator
- Design and implement follow-up after training plan including on-the-job support to identify and rectify the gaps in the services by involving the Hospital Medical Director and Health Coordinator
- Assist in designing and implementing various monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for quality assurance and midcourse corrective measures in close collaboration with the CHT, Merlin Project Site Team and Country Health Director
- Prepare and implement hospital-based operational and action plans in a timely manner in collaboration with LGH staff, CHT, Hospital Nursing director, Hospital Medical Director and , Health Coordinator
- Collate essential hospital based data and provide regular updates on health activity status to CHO/LGH staff. This includes: feedback on hospital-based Health and Information Statistics (HIS), epidemiological surveillance, and ensuring that the hospital-based HIS has been used as a management tool for informed and timely decision making
- Assist in preparing donor proposals/reports and monthly/periodic reports for Merlin internal use and/or for other stakeholders in collaboration with the Health Coordinator
- Conduct medical stock reviews and manage medical stocks through monitoring drug consumption levels, preparing accurate and timely supply requests and obtaining approval of all medical orders in close collaboration with the Health Coordinator and CHT
- Assist CHO/LGH staff with the overall management of the hospital (day to day activities and long-term strategy) including changes of project direction or priorities in close collaboration with Health Coordinator
Coordination/representation
- Co-ordinate and represent Merlin with the stakeholders involved at County Level (local governmental departments, NGOs, UN bodies, SGBV task force etc.) when required
- Coordinate with CHO counterpart and LGH staff so that all hospital-based activities are carried out with their agreement, and as far as possible with their participation, in conjunction with Health Coordinator
- Coordinate activities among the different units within the hospital with a focus on establishing linkages and harmonisation of services
- Co-ordinate hospital-based medical activities with the Merlin project site team and CHT members to ensure objectives are achieved and resources well utilised
Staff Management
- Assist the Hospital Administrator, Nursing Director, Hospital Medical Director and CHO in the management and supervision of relevant staff and ancillary clinical activities within the hospital
Risk management
- Ensure that all statutory procedures are in place and code of conduct is understood by all staff to minimise risks to both patients and staff
- Ensure proper handling of all SGBV cases as per Merlin policies and MoH standard guidelines
- Ensure that adequate arrangements are made for health and safety management within the hospital and that the necessary procedures are implemented and monitored.
Staff Health
- With the health coordinator manage international and national staff health and well being (overall responsibility at Country level lies with the Country Health Director) as outlined in Merlin Staff Health Policy
- Assist the Health Coordinator to ensure that up-to-date medical evacuation procedures are in place at all times and that staff are aware of their respective roles
Other
- Carry out any other related responsibilities as requested by the Health Coordinator or the Country Health director
Person Specification
Essential
Qualifications, experience and competences
- Qualified medical doctor with substantial post-qualification experience
- Extensive clinical and general surgical skills with an ability to conduct surgeries including caesarean sections, laparotomies, herniorrhaphies, amputations etc.
- Good knowledge and practical experience of basic field anaesthesia, ultrasound and x-ray
- Previous field work experience with an International NGO in a developing country context
- Experience of establishing and managing professional relationships with colleagues and patients from different functions and cultures
- Experience of team work/team building with a proven ability to provide leadership and build capacity of staff
- Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
- Experience of working in a resource limited facility and tackle difficult issues, through providing proactive solutions on a daily basis
- Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines. Ability to live and work in a warm/humid, remote, post conflict and rural environment.
- An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values
- Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office and the internet
- Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
- An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values
Desirable
Qualifications, experience and competences
- Post graduate degree(s) and/ or experience in Tropical Medicine, Community Health/Family Health
- Experience in data collection, analysis and reporting
- Previous experience of working in West Africa
Reference Code: RW_7Y5MVW-69
