VN023 - Short-term consultant on human resource for health

Background:

The Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030, which was adopted by the sixty-ninth World Health Assembly in May 2016, set the four strategic objectives to ensure universal access to health workforce by 2030. Establishing regulatory mechanisms, such as licensing of health professionals and accreditation of health professional training programmes, and alignment of international standards for health professional education are key interventions for improving the quality of human resources for health in line with the Global Strategy. Well-trained health professionals, including medical doctors, nurses, and pharmacists are critical to delivering quality health care. Strengthening the health workforce is needed for Viet Nam to implement its grassroots healthcare and other health sector reforms.

In October 2017, the 6th Plenary Session of the 12th Party Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam adopted a resolution on the protection, care and improvement of people’s health in the new situation (No 20–NQ/TW) which highlighted health professional education reform as one of the priorities for the country. The resolution includes establishing a national medical council to administer national licensing examinations and grant practice certificates according to international standards. In addition, the Ministry of Health has drafted the revised Law on Medical Examination and Treatment (LET), which covers health workforce regulation and will be reviewed by the National Assembly in 2021.

Based on request from the Ministry of Health, the WHO Representative Office in Viet Nam has provided technical assistance to the Government of Viet Nam in health professional education reform and health legislation in Viet Nam, including on the establishment of a health professional council. The continued areas of WHO support will entail, but will not be limited to, providing best practices on a national licensing examination and re-licensing system, case studies on health professional councils across countries, specialty training, and in-service training for primary health care.

1. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

   Start date: 31 July 2020

   End date:  29 January 2021

2. Work to be performed

Method(s) to carry out the activity

The consultant can work remotely if needed. The work will involve but not be limited to; coordinating across partners, participating in meetings and workshops (remotely if needed), providing technical advice to documents and reports as required. The consultant will provide support to the UHC team and relevant MOH departments on health workforce regulation and planning.

Output/s

Under the overall supervision of the UHC Team Leader, the consultant will support the UHC team on the following outputs:

Output 1: Technical support to health workforce regulation on establishment of regulatory authorities and national licensing and re-licensing systems for health practitioners

Deliverable 1 – Technical brief on health workforce regulation based on international experiences and/or best practices on scope of practice of health practitioners, national licensing examination, and re-licensing systems (by 31 August 2020)

Deliverable 2 – Comprehensive review and report on case studies of health professional councils across countries, including the history and political evolution, governance and financing mechanisms, and lessons on implementation (9 October 2020)

Output 2: Technical support to the development of a roadmap for strengthening health workforce data and planning

Deliverable 2 – Finalized roadmap for strengthening health workforce data and planning based on situation analysis and policy dialogue with multi-stakeholders (30 November 2020)

Output 3: Technical support to the development of a medical specialty training framework

Deliverable 3 – Report on medical specialty training frameworks from selected countries and applications to Viet Nam (31 December 2020)

Output 4: Technical support for strengthening the health workforce at the primary care level in relation to medical education and training, including continuing professional development

Deliverable 4 – Summary report on in-service training as a part of broader primary health care reform (29 January 2020)

Address for Applications:

Administrative Officer

World Health Organization

UN Building, 304 Kim Ma Street, Hanoi, Viet Nam

Or by email at: wpvnmapplicants@who.int