PATIENT SAFETY ADVISER (BASED IN ANY MSF OCBA HUB)

Countries: Jordan, Kenya, Senegal, Spain

Organization: Médecins Sans Frontières

Closing date: 19 Jun 2022

GENERAL CONTEXT

Médecins Sans Frontières is an international independent medical-humanitarian organization, which offers assistance to 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 five 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 decentralised 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.

CONTEXT AND GENERAL OBJECTIVE

The MSF Medical Department of the Operational Centre Barcelona-Athens (MSF-OCBA) is composed of three units: the Health Services Unit, the Medical Specialities Unit and the Medical-Operational unit. Each of these units has a Head, and the head of the Medical-Operational Unit is also the Deputy Medical Director. The Medical Director is in charge of the overall management of the department with the support of the heads of the three units and an Assistant. The Medical Director, the 3 Heads of Unit and the Department Assistant make up the Management Team of the Medical Department.

MSF OCBA’s strategic plan has a decided commitment to ensuring the best possible quality of care in all our programs. Patient safety is an essential pillar of quality of care and as such, a priority to OCBA. Improving patient safety requires the coordinated work of managers, clinical leaders, and front-line staff. The Patient Safety Adviser is a new position created for working collaboratively with all stakeholders in headquarters and projects with the objective of measurably improving patient safety and reducing patient harm/errors. This requires the implementation of effective, evidence-based practices and developing an institutional patient safety culture.

The successful applicant will be based at one of the MSF OCBA hubs. The work will be carried out in the framework of the Strategic plan 2020-2023, the operational policy and OCBA annual plans as well as the Medical department plans, working in close collaboration with other technical advisors and operational health advisors.

PLACEMENT WITHIN THE ORGANISATION

The Adviser will be hierarchically and functionally accountable to the Deputy Medical Director - Head of Medical Operations Unit, together with other referents. S-/he will support MSF medical activities and programs through close collaboration with Operational Health Advisors (TESACO- Headquarters), Medical Coordinators (in missions) and Project Medical Referents (in projects), and with the rest of the members of the Medical department. S-/he will also work with members of the rest of the departments in OCBA when required (operations, human resources, learning, logistics, general direction).

While in the field, s-/he works under the regular hierarchical and functional structures of the missions, while keeping in communication with the Medical Department.

MAIN RESPONSABILITIES, FUNCTIONS AND TASKS

1. Severe Medical Events Case Manager

• Supports and encourages submission of SMAE reports through trainings, briefings and debriefings, meetings and interactions with MSF teams/staff.


• Coordinates root cause analysis of SMAEs and follows up on the implementation of resulting action plans.


• Maintains records of patient related errors and evaluates this information to identify the cause of error.


• Reports to Medical Professional Commission cases of suspected negligence that could require a disciplinary approach.

2. Patient safety thematic advisory

• Develops and implements initiatives to create an appropriate patient safety culture using transparency as the foundation for this effort.


• Contributes to the development of surveillance systems to identify and mitigate potential patient harm.


• Recommends changes, policies or programs that could prevent future errors.

3. Planning and strategy

• Provides leadership and direction to create a patient safety strategy well embedded in the Quality of Care Framework.


• With appropriate collaboration with Medical and other departments, directs the development of a comprehensive Patient Safety Plan and updates the plan as needed.


• Contributes to Medical Department plan definition and updates, including budget.


• Assures that patient safety, as part of Quality of Care, is included in mission annual plans through discussion with health advisers and/or contribution to planning documents.

4. Monitoring, Evaluation and Research

• In collaboration with Quality of Care team, e-health team and HOMU, and in coordination with other OCs, defines a monitoring and evaluation frame for Patient Safety in OCBA (development of a patient safety measurement strategy).


• Continuously evaluates and improves the patient safety measures based on internal needs and external requirements and standards.


• Collects, reviews and analyzes information to identify corrective action as necessary.


• Updates existing SMAE data base and data / information collection templates and processes.


• Ensures that data collection and reporting are compliant with information safety standards/legislation.


• Produces annual reports and contributes to other MSF reports as required.

5. Research and Innovation

• Monitors literature, other MSF, and professional organizations for new or revised best practices related to patient safety.


• Contributes to the published evidence related to improving patient safety.


• Supports/facilitates the implementation of innovation and systems that eliminate patient harm.

6. Training

• In collaboration with colleagues in the medical network, learning unit and other departments in OCBA, other MSFs and organizations, designs, updates, and implements patient safety education modules for new staff orientation and continuing education.


• Facilitates relevant training (face to face and online).

7. Other

• Performs other duties as assigned.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Medical doctor or Registered Nurse.


• 5 years of clinical experience and a minimum of 2-years’ experience in different MSF projects or with a relevant medical organization working in low-income countries and/or humanitarian settings.


• Specific Patient Safety training.


• Master’s Degree preferred/an asset.


• Proven track record of implementing change in a complex health environment (hospital, health facility in humanitarian setting).


• Fluent in English and French (both written and oral). Excellent writing skills.


• Knowledge of Spanish or Arabic is an asset.


• Tech savvy: Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

COMPETENCIES

• Commitment to MSF’s Principles


• Cross-cultural Awareness


• Behavioural Flexibility


• Analytical Thinking


• Strategic vision


• Results and Quality Oriented


• Service Orientation


• Initiative


• Team work and cooperation


• Leadership

CONDITIONS

• Position based in any MSF OCBA Hub (Barcelona, MSF-Spain office delegations, Amman, Dakar or Nairobi). Final location will be subject to the employability of the preselected candidate (residency, work permit, etc.).


• Availability to travel (one or two travels of around 2 weeks).


• Part-time job.


• Contract duration: 6 months’ probation period. Type of contract according to the local contract modality.


• Annual gross salary (based on 40 weekly hours): HQ-4A (divided in 12 months payments) + secondary benefits, based on MSF OCBA reward policy. Subjected to local conditions.


• Starting date: July 2022.

How to apply

To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter: https://careers.msf-applications.org/job-invite/6489/ Closing date: June 19th 2022, 23:59 CET (Central European Time)

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. MSF provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo reference checks.

Médecins Sans Frontieres, as a responsible employer, under article 38 of “Ley de Integración Social del Minusválido de 1982 (LISMI)” invite those persons with a recognized disability and with an interest in the humanitarian area to apply for the above-mentioned position.

MSF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, race, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We are committed to achieving a balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage women to apply.