Designing a Short Course on Strategic HRH Management for the HRH focal points in the Pacific Island Countries and Areas

BACKGROUND

National level health workforce units play an important role in steering the planning, forecasting needs, developing policies, regulations and administrative norms to guide staff performance.

A Scoping Paper on ‘Health Workforce development in the Pacific’ developed for the Pacific Health Minister Meeting 2017 indicated that in most PICs, the units responsible for HRH are often critically weak, due to lack of adequate number and capacity of the staff as well as lack of authority to make strategic decisions. As a result, large gaps between policy and local implementation persist. Capacity constraints are even larger at the provincial level.

Accordingly, the 12th Pacific Health Ministers Meeting held in 2017 in Cook Islands committed to strengthen health workforce management.

The WHO Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030 recommends to ‘build the capacity of institutions at subnational and national levels for effective policy stewardship, leadership and governance of actions on HRH’. This policy option emphasizes to ‘ensure that all countries have an HRH unit or department reporting to a senior level within the Ministry of Health’. The unit should have the capacity, responsibility, financing and accountability for a standard set of core functions of HRH policy, planning and governance, data management and reporting. These functions are, at a minimum, to:

• • Systematically collect data on HRH through an appropriate HR information system
• • analyze workforce data
• • lead short- and long-term health workforce planning and development
• • mobilize and use resources effectively and accountably
• • advocate HRH development
• • set policies on regulation, service provision and education of health workers
• • champion better working conditions, reward systems and career structures for health workers
• • identify suitable strategies to engage in a collaborative manner with the private sector
• • effectively track international mobility of health workers, managing migratory flows to maximize benefits for source countries
• • monitor and evaluate HRH interventions and trends and
• • build alliances with data producers and users. 

These functions for HRH planning and development require HRH personnel to understand national strategic health plans and policies and the critical role HRH plays in delivering these outcomes. A functioning HRH Unit/Division/Department can assess the gap between the desired HRH situation and the current reality and will possess the skills to present information outlining a strategy to close the gap. 

In the Pacific, six countries developed HRH strategic plans for the period 1998-2020: Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Niue, Palau, Samoa, and Tonga. Currently, Cook Islands is the only country that has updated HRH Strategic Plan: Cook Islands Health Workforce Plan 2016-2025. Kiribati has drafted the Health Workforce Strategic Plan 2019–2028, awaiting final endorsement. Tonga has initiated the development of the HRH Country Profile, that will serve as the situational analysis for development of next National HRH Strategic Plan.  

As health needs of the population have changed over time, it is appropriate to review the implementation progress of the current HRH strategic plans and develop new ones in line with the overall National Health Strategic Plans of the respective countries and taking account of health labor market dynamics. It is also timely for the countries that do not have HRH Strategic plans to initiate the development of the HRH Strategic plans.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

This call for expression of interest is intended to design a short course on Strategic HRH management for the HRH focal points in the Pacific island countries (PICs) and areas, to enhance the alignment of HRH planning, development, deployment and management towards sustainable health service delivery.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Under the direct supervision of the Technical Officer (Human Resources for Health) and overall guidance of the Team Coordinator (PHS) and HWO, the consultant is expected to deliver the following:

• • Assess the current capacities for strategic HRH leadership and management in the PICs and Areas by conducting a Training Needs Analysis (TNA). The TNA will be undertaken with nominated HRH focal points in each PICs and areas in consultation with relevant Ministry executives and stakeholders.
• • Based on the results of the TNA and other consultations, design a short course on Strategic HRH planning, development and management for HRH focal points.
• • Develop course materials in modes suitable for both face-to-face and virtual/online learning.

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

• • Review all the relevant documents related to health workforce in the respective countries and regional initiatives;
• • Convene meetings, consultations, workshops with all the relevant stakeholders (Virtual and/or face-to-face)

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Education

Essential: Master’s level university degree in health sciences/related field from a university recognized in the International Association of Universities’ Worldwide Database of Higher Education Institutions, Systems and Credentials (WHED).

Desirable: Postgraduate qualification or training in public health and/or health planning and management training.

Experience

Essential:  Experience in conducting Training Need Analysis and designing short courses in Health Systems Strengthening / Human Resources for Health

Desirable: Experience working in similar area in developing countries preferably in the Pacific

Skills

Expert knowledge on Health Systems Strengthening / Human Resources for Health in developing/resource constraint countries, preferably in the Pacific

Language

Expert knowledge in English (reading, writing, and speaking).

Competencies

• • Fostering integration and teamwork
• • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• • Communicating in a credible and effective way
• • Producing results
• • Moving forward in a changing environment

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Expression of Interest should include expected professional fees, considering above listed deliverables and individual’s qualification and experience.

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.

Duration of contract is for 60 working days. Work to be done remotely.

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 29 October 2021. 

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

Please use Tender Notice No. 147994 as subject to all submission.  Only successful candidates will be contacted.