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Background of the project:
The roving psychiatrist is responsible for the pharmacological part of the mental health service that is provided in the IRC health facilities in the NES, though providing specialized MH consultations and treatment (diagnosis and following up) for the beneficiaries in all IRC supported health facilities. The roving psychiatrist will provide technical oversight of the clinical and medical management of mental health cases, to support programs offered inside Syria; additionally, he will review existing systems and structures within the IRC’s MHPSS services and align procedures and efforts across technical areas, using the WHO/ UNHCR mental health gap action program (mhGAP) training and operational guidelines.
The roving psychiatrist will also provide technical support when needed to the Child Protection (CP), Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) and Protection Rule of Law Programming (PRoL) in terms of close coordination and collaboration through the Senior Mental Health officers to ensure appropriate referral and follow up system is in place. S/He will develop standard operating procedures for the provision of psychosocial support and psychiatric care. MHP services will be specific to the needs of girls, boys, women, and men, and will be informed by an understanding of cultural norms around mental health, gender roles, violence against women and girls, and the neglect, exploitation and abuse of children and other vulnerable refugee groups.
The Roving Psychiatry Consultant will undertake the following responsibilities:
- Diagnose the most difficult cases, with high risks, or in need of Differential Diagnosis. Provide support for implementation of mhGAP programs utilizing WHO’s supervision and operational guidelines.
- Provide specialized MH consultations and treatment (diagnosis and following up) for the beneficiaries in all IRC supported health facilities in. Treats patients by utilizing psychotherapeutic methods and medications; discussing progress toward goals with patients; providing instructions; monitoring effect of medi-cations; explaining treatment plans to patients and their parents or guardians and provide familial support throughout treatment programs.
- Individual session with the general practitioner (training doctor) and discuss difficult cases and difficult diagnoses. As well as Aware the MHPSS team, General Practitioners (GPs), beneficiaries with side effects of prescribed medications.
- Participate in the MHPSS Counselors in developing intervention care plans.
- Prescribe medications in line with WHO/UNHCR mhGAP Intervention Guidelines. Sug-gest developed medications.
- Participate training on the management of mental health cases to MHPSS and Health GPs staff in line with WHO/UNHCR mhGAP Intervention Guidelines (IG) 2.0.
- Participate in training on the identification and management of priority mental health cases to general health and protection staff in line with WHO/UNHCR mhGAP Intervention Guidelines (IG) 2.0.
- Ensure psychotropic drugs are kept in safe and lockable place at the clinics and develop SOP for dispensing of drugs.
- Implement planned mhGAP training for the mental health team and partners. Evaluate the level of improvement through Pre-Post tests.
- Participation of the MHPSS manager and the MHPSS Snr. Officer in Case discussion sessions with the mental health team.
Deliverables:
- Conduct (10) field visits to different IRC health facilities in Hassaka and Raqqa on a monthly basis. The visits include all the duties mentioned in the above sector (Scope of work).
- One health facility visit is a full working day.
Payment Rate and Schedule:
- (10) workdays per month, (5) days in Hassaka Health Facilities and (5) days in Raqqa Health Facilities.
- Daily wage: 200$.
- Totalwages: 2000$ per month.
Minimum Qualifications:
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in human medicine, minor in Psychiatry with psychotherapy, clinical and/or counselling psychology work experience.
- Minimum of (3) years of relevant work experience in psychiatry in clinical and/or direct practice settings.
- Knowledgeable in and has used the IASC MHPSS guidelines and best practices as part of their previous work experience.
- Strong experience in clinical supervision, training and/or coaching others.
- Experience in assessment, program design, evaluation and technical training and supervision using WHO’s mental health gap action program (mhGAP).
- Extensive experience designing and rolling our trainings to diverse audiences.
- Experience working with partners to implement programming.
- Solid understanding of case management and survivor-centered care in humanitarian settings.
- Strong experience in training with good facilitation skills and ability to organize and implement trainings on sensitive topics.
Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.