Telemedicine Psychiatrist At Médecins Sans Frontières

GENERAL CONTEXT

Médecins Sans Frontières is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization, which aids populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict, without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, creed or political affiliation.

MSF is a civil society initiative that brings together individuals committed to the assistance of other human beings in crisis. As such, MSF is by choice an association. Each individual working with MSF does it out of conviction and is ready to uphold the values and principles of MSF.

• The MSF movement is built around six operational directorates supported by MSF’s 21 sections, 24 associations and other offices together worldwide. MSF OCBA is one of those directorates. The operations are implemented by field teams and the mission coordination teams; together with the organizational units based in Barcelona, Athens and decentralized in Nairobi, Dakar and Amman. The field operations are guided and supported by 5 Operational Cells, the Emergency Unit and other departments supporting operations, including the Medical Department.
• The Middle East Unit (MEU) is a decentralized structure whose role and purpose is to support operations with the most adapted technical expertise, promoting research, learning, innovation and collaboration with others on the key transversal humanitarian challenges populations are facing in the region and globally.

The MEU is composed of:

• The OCBA Operational Cell 1 (Middle East) with current portfolio including missions in Afghanistan, Syria, Palestine, and Yemen.
• The Center for the Advancement of Humanitarian Medicine (CAHM), including advisors providing Medical Operational support to the field on access, telemedicine, health Surveillance and epidemiology, mental health, sexual violence, learning, Advocacy and Networking.

The MESO is composed of:

• The Middle East Support Office is the HQ office of OCG in Amman, Jordan. Its purpose is to support MSF programs in the face of the growing complexity of intervention contexts and new challenges in the Middle East and beyond.
• The office is currently supporting Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan and Iran while opening up to different contexts.
• In 2023, the Middle East Support Office will consolidate the medical support to the region, through the creation and consolidation of a Medical Network, adapted to OCG operational needs and grow in the region (and beyond), strengthening the link with the medical department and seeking opportunities for potential future intersectional synergies or collaboration.

MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE POSITION

The Tele-psychiatrist leads the technical support for MH GAP clinicians remotely (via confidential and secure Telemedicine solutions) and face-to-face.

BACKGROUND

This intersectional position is shared member of OCBA MEU and OCG MESO, hosted and managed by OCBA MEU. This position will contribute to boosting MSF´s ambitions to have quality psychiatric care as a standard feature of MSF’s medical action, specifically when delivering Mental Health and Psychosocial Support packages, ensuring technical capacity to provide quality psychiatric support for MSF patients.

In addition, the Tele-psychiatrist will be part of the network of MSF telemedicine specialists on Store and Forward Telemedicine Platform providing expert opinion on psychiatric cases and will also act as pool focal point for all mental health experts in telemedicine network.

Reporting lines:

The Psychiatrist reports to:

• Hierarchically to the OCBA Mental Health Advisor based in Amman.
• Functionally to the OCBA Mental Health Advisor (and Focal Point for Psychiatry) based in Barcelona.

It Collaborates with:

• Technically, with the Head of the IMH working group.
• Directly with all the MH Advisors of OCG.
• Field and projects.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Telepsychiatry and MHPS activities Implementation and Coordination

Provide direct support on implementation of MHPS activities in the following ways:

1. Support field teams in management of psychiatric cases through direct supervision, on the job-training for clinicians responsible for patient care, as well as co-management and occasional provision of direct psychiatric care, telemedicine consultations in exceptional cases in real-time as needed for complex/severe cases.
2. Provide trainings (remotely and face to-face) on diagnosis/treatment of psychiatric disorders based on MSF Protocol for Pharmacological Management of Mental Disorders and mhGAP intervention guide, and on the best evidence on non-pharmacological care.
3. Run regular supervision sessions with field mhGAP clinicians
4. In field visit assesses clinical/technical needs, perform gap analysis, suggest capacity-building solutions, and provide technical support for field teams in relevant areas (psychiatric care). Intersectional Field Visits are prioritized.
5. Review monthly psychiatry databases and provide feedback to projects.
6. Consistently build rapport with the relevant practitioners through participation in training, field visits and telemedicine activities with an intersectional spirit.
7. Reinforce multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary teamwork throughout reinforcing internal and external referral pathways, as well as the roles of the different profiles integrating the MHPSS teams. Whenever relevant, involves other profiles (e.g., MHAM, MHS, psychologists, counsellors, etc.) in the supervision or training sessions.
8. Support MHWG and the projects to improve psychiatric activities and outcomes in the projects by sharing regular updates with the concerned internal stakeholders (MHAM, PMR, Medco, MHA, etc…) on progress with their activities, identifying gaps and challenges, and proposing possible solutions.
9. Develop and keep an updated database of psychiatric cases discussed/consulted via telemedicine.
10. Promote and contribute to the integration and standardization of telemedicine diagnosis/treatment for mental health condition as part of MHPSS programs.
11. Develop 6 Months and Annual reports on the Telepsychiatry Psychiatry program achievements component and share with relevant stakeholders.
12. Be part of the global network of MSF Telemedicine Specialists using store and forward telemedicine services, provide clinical support to assigned psychiatric cases and inquiries from all MSF projects included in the system, based on the allocation policy.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Education and experience

• A Diploma in Psychiatry (MD specialized in Psychiatry) from qualified University program.
• MSF experience (including experience in mhGAP training and implementation) is a strong asset.
• At least 1 year experience in Humanitarian field and familiarity/experience with WHO´s mhGAP initiative.
• Fluent in English and Arabic (speaking and writing); French is an asset.
• Previous experience in delivering mhGAP trainings and supervision of GPs is a strong asset.
• Previous experience with telemedicine systems and platforms is a valuable capacity.
• Psychotherapy training and experience is highly perceived.

CONDITIONS

• Position based in Amman at the MSF decentralized HQ Middle East Unit.
• Full time job.
• Contract: 12 months with possibility of extension.
• Annual gross salary (divided in 12 months payments) + secondary benefits, based on MSF OCBA reward policy.
• Starting date: Mid june 2023.

How to apply

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter in the link below:
• https://careers.msf-applications.org/job/Tele-Psychiatrist-%28T-Psychiatrist%29/769568402/
• Closing date: 18th of June 2023, 23:59 CET (Central European Time).
• Candidates should submit their applications ASAP as all submissions will be reviewed upon receipt. The recruitment team will contact the potential candidates directly if deemed to meet the recruitment criteria.
• Replies will only be sent to short-listed candidates.