Advisor Anaesthesia and Pain Management

The Public Health Department of Médecins sans Frontières is looking for an:

Advisor Anaesthesia and Pain Management (****50%= 20 hours) ~****based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Expected start date 15 October 2015

The overall purpose of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is to preserve life and alleviate suffering while protecting human dignity and seeking to restore the ability of people to make their own decisions. MSF accomplishes this through the provision of medical aid and a personal commitment to act as witness to events surrounding populations in danger. This work is essentially performed in periods of crisis, when a situation is no longer held in balance and the very survival of a population may be threatened. The underlying basis for realising its objectives is respect for medical ethics, humanistic ideals, human rights and international humanitarian law.

The Public Health Department (PHD) of the MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam (OCA) supports the overall purpose of MSF, providing medical and public health leadership for the organisation. The department is responsible for providing strategic direction and integrated advice on medical and public health issues to the field and headquarters. The PHD plays a key role in developing and maintaining the medical humanitarian identity and image of MSF-OCA, and in continuing to develop and improve intervention strategies so as to be relevant and effective.

The department is made up of a group of generalist Health Advisors (based in Amsterdam and Berlin) and medical and public health specialists (based in Amsterdam and London) so as to provide expert support in a range of fields including infectious diseases, mental health, nutrition, paediatrics and reproductive health as well as epidemiology, laboratory, medical supply and water and sanitation.

The strategic vision for MSF-OCA continues to prioritise operations that respond to the medical needs of people in areas of active and chronic conflict. We are working to improve and professionalise the surgical and anaesthetic care provided in the field to our patients with emphasis on patient safety, and to enhance pain management and palliative care. Furthermore, attention will be given to identify minimal standards of anaesthetic care, tools and structures, and assist the field to achieve these standards in the surgical projects. The majority of our projects include general surgery and emergency obstetric surgery. We also have projects where the majority of cases are from traumatic injuries (war-torn settings and places with inter-clan violence) and are starting a specialist program on NOMA.

Position within the organisation

The Anaesthesia Advisor reports to the Coordinator of Medical Specialists, Public Health Department in Amsterdam. The post holder will work in close collaboration with Health Advisors and relevant Specialists on strategic and technical support issues and be responsible for support to key missions.

Main objectives of the post

• Provide leadership and strategic direction in the areas of anaesthesia and pain management within the organisation and towards other actors
• Contribute to the ongoing development and implementation of the MSF-OCA surgical strategy, specific to anaesthesia and pain management
• Assure the quality of anaesthetic care and pain management in MSF-OCA

Key outputs expected:The Anaesthesia Advisor will provide specialist support to MSF-OCA in order to successfully implement the strategy on Anaesthesia and Pain Management. This will include:

· Develop and promote a middle and long term strategic vision and plan for anaesthesia within the PHD and OCA along with the practical implementation means and plans

· Set strategic direction for anaesthesia and pain management activities in MSF-OCA; continuously review progress against the MSF-OCA strategic plan and the topical annual action plan and flag when adjustments are indicated

· Support teams with programmatic direction – e.g., how to put anaesthesia in place in a new surgical program, strategic direction in the face of changing circumstances, quality improvement where concerns have arisen, etc.

· Provide quality and timely support to health advisors and missions (medical coordinators) concerning “specialist” and non-routine questions on anaesthesia and pain management

· Facilitate implementation of anaesthesia and pain management components into MSF-OCA surgical projects through development and updating of appropriate tools (e.g. guidelines, protocols/procedures, training materials, minimum equipment/drugs lists, etc.)

· Support PHD and field teams in the use and analysis of routine program monitoring information on anaesthetic services

· Conduct field support visits to identify quality improvement measures and provide training for OT anaesthetic teams

· Work closely with PHD colleagues and the Surgery Advisor to promote patient safety and quality practices during pre-, intra-, and post-operative care including recovery and intensive therapy

· Assist field teams to prepare and organize anaesthetic care in specialised short-term surgical interventions

· Support the Human Resources Department in the recruitment, matching and development of the anaesthetists pool; brief/de-brief expat specialists

· List essential competencies for personnel delivering anaesthetic care in projects and provide strategy for ensuring our staff fit this profile (note: this is often expatriate or national non-specialist medical doctors or nurses)

· Facilitate at MSF-OCA surgery/anaesthesia workshops

· Ensure supply of quality anaesthesia-related materials to the field by providing technical input and regularly updating the assortment list

· Participate in the MSF anaesthesia working group consisting of the advisors of the other operational centres

· Support anaesthesia-focused operational research in the field projects

· Monitor developments in the field of anaesthesiology and assess relevance for MSF-OCA field projects

· Establish collaborative expert networks as required to enhance MSF-OCA expertise and support on anaesthesia and pain management for field implementation

Candidate profile and qualifications

· Physician specialized in anaesthesiology; advanced practice nurses specialized in provision of anaesthesia care and able to provide anaesthetics independently in their home environment are welcome to apply

· Full and current registration/license with relevant national and professional body

· Minimum three years anaesthesia experience post-specialist training

· Field experience in resource poor settings or humanitarian emergencies is essential, by preference with MSF

· Flexibility to travel and support ongoing projects (up to 30% of work time will be spent on project visits)

· In case of major emergency, able to provide on-the-ground support to field programmes at short notice (i.e., 48 hours) for 2-3 weeks

· A high degree of work autonomy as well as management capacity is required

· Strong oral and written communication skills, including delivering training/presentations, analysing data and writing reports

· Fluency in English (written and spoken); working knowledge of French desirable

We offer

• A part-time (50%) appointment for 20-hour per week for a period of one year with likely extension by mutual agreement (i.e., the post is ongoing).

· A gross monthly salary in grade 7 between € 3,062 and € 4,373; depending on relevant professional work experience, based on a full-time appointment (40 hours per week).

· A stimulating, professional working environment in a major international organisation.

· Attractive secondary benefits like a premium free pension, 30 holidays (based on a full-time position)

HOW TO APPLY:

More information?

If you are interested in this post and would like additional information, please contact Debbie Price, Coordinator of Medical Specialists, at: +31 (0)20 520 8724.

Application

If you recognize yourself in the profile, please click here to apply directly via our website.(www.artsenzondergrenzen)

The closing date for application is 6 September 2015.