Technical support to conduct a Scoping Review of Nursing and Midwifery Education and Regulation in the Pacific Island Countries and Areas

BACKGROUND

Nurses play a critical role in providing people-centered care for the most vulnerable population in the Pacific Island countries and areas. Approximately 74% of the Pacific healthcare workforce are nurses and midwives and majority of health services are delivered by nurses and midwives, especially in remote and rural regions. However, there is a huge gap in the education and competencies of the nurses and midwives in delivering quality health services. A strong and effective health workforce that is able to respond to current priorities can only be achieved by effectively matching the skills of health workers to population needs, both now and in the future.

The Pacific Health Ministers at the Thirteenth Pacific Health Ministers Meeting in 2019 committed to ‘identifying the health workforce indicators needed for decision-making for the issues of development, shortages, retention and regulations of the health workforce across primary health care and specialized services in the Pacific’. Further, during the State of World’s Nursing Report data workshop for the Pacific Chief nurses and midwives at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Development, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), 18-20 September 2019, the participants recommended to progress regional partnerships and continued co-operation across undergraduate and postgraduate education, accreditation, CPD and standards development including involvement of South and North Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.

The Western Pacific Region (WPR) of the WHO has identified strengthening of regulatory systems for health workers as a priority action domain to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals. The Regional Action Agenda on Regulatory Strengthening, Convergence and Cooperation for Medicines and Health Workforce was adopted at the 68th Regional Committee Meeting. It guides Member States on how to strengthen regulatory systems to improve quality and safety in the performance of the health system, thereby protecting public health and advancing UHC.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

Working closely with the WHO Division of Pacific Technical Support (DPS) and respective Ministry/ Department of Health in the Pacific Island countries and areas, the contractor will a carry out a desk-top review of previous studies and  convene virtual meetings and consultations with relevant Steering Committee, with the aim to improve quality of nursing and midwifery education and regulation with a long term aim to address shortage of nurses and midwives in the Pacific Island countries and areas.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

In collaboration with the WHO Pacific Health Systems and Policy team and the respective Ministry of Health/ Department of Health, the contractor will carry the following:

• • Scoping review report on the nursing and midwifery education and regulation in the Pacific Island countries and areas
• • Recommendations, including a road-map for improving quality of nursing and midwifery education and regulation in the Pacific Island countries and areas
• • Final Technical Report

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

• • Carry out a desk top review of previous studies and reports;
• • Set up and convene virtual meetings and consultations with relevant Steering Committee;
• • Confirm priorities with Steering Committee following impacts of global pandemic, with the aim to improve quality of nursing and midwifery education and regulation in the Pacific Island countries and;
• • Provide recommendations, including a road-map for improving quality of nursing and midwifery education and regulation in the Pacific Island countries and areas.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Essential:  An institution with a capacity to engage experts with postgraduate qualification in nursing and midwifery education and regulation.

Desirable: As institution with a capacity to engage experts with PhD in nursing and midwifery education and regulation.

EXPERIENCE

Essential: An institution, that has experience and capacity in reviewing nursing and midwifery education and regulation in developing countries, especially pacific island countries; and familiar with WHO’s guidelines on health workforce education and training, and the Regional Action Agenda on Regulatory Strengthening, Convergence and Cooperation for Medicines and Health Workforce.

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

The experts engaged should have adequate knowledge in conducting reviews and familiar with the nursing and midwifery education and regulation in the pacific island countries and areas.

LANGUAGES

Fluent in written and spoken English

COMPETENCIES

• • Producing results; communicating in a credible and effective way; moving forward in a changing environment Producing results
• • Communicating in a credible and effective way

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Expression of Interest should include the budget details based on the above listed deliverables.

Submitting a reply to a call for expression of interest for pre-qualification does not automatically guarantee receipt of the solicitation documents when issued. Invitations to Bid or Requests for Proposals and any subsequent purchase order or contract will be issued in accordance with the rules and procedures of WHO.

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 19 November 2020. 

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily consultancy fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 117464 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.