Consultant (HSD): Healthcare Performance Specialist

1. Purpose of the Consultancy

To provide technical support to Pakistan in improving the performance of selected tertiary and secondary care hospitals in Islamabad Capital Tertiary (ICT) with focus on its different aspects of operation.

Specific objectives are:

• Comprehensively assess and identify gaps and the related root causes in hospital services provided by five public hospitals [Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Polyclinic, National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM), Federal General Hospital (FGH) and Isolation Hospital and Infections Treatment Centre (IHITC), with technical guidance of int’l consultant and WHO team.
• Draft an improvement action plan to enhance the hospital performance and operations in line with integrated people centred health services under supervision of int’l consultant and WHO team.

Background and Rationale

• Within the framework of the health service delivery in Pakistan, hospitals play a major role within the network of health facilities. As of the 2022, there are a total of 1200 hospitals (both tertiary & secondary) in Pakistan. In Islamabad Capital Tertiary (ICT) the main tertiary, secondary and specialized care hospitals are PIMS, Polyclinic, NIRM, FGH and IHITC which together consists of more than 2650 beds and provide curative and diagnostic health services in all specialities. These hospitals serve the inhabitants of Islamabad city as well other areas and regions such AJK, GB and KP province, acting as the main referral hospitals for these areas.
• Due to the absence of gatekeeping system and referral mechanisms at PHC level, the primary and tertiary level hospitals are overburdened by patients whose cases could have been managed on lower levels. Hospitals in Pakistan face financial and human resources challenges compromising their level of operation and optimum performance. The above shortcomings have led to a perceived judgment of low quality of care and reduced patient satisfaction, exacerbated by the lack of infection prevention and control measures, as well as insufficient patient safety programs.
• WHO has received a request from MoNHSR&C to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the performance of the five above mentioned hospitals in ICT to explore their operation and performance against the set of quality indicators, standards, and norms.

Modality of Work:

• Two national consultants (one with experience of hospital management and other from academic / clinical side) will conduct a desk review of health service delivery in the ICT with a focus on hospital sector and conduct initial assessment of five ICT’s hospitals using WHO tools/guides and will prepare preliminary report. These activities will be conducted, in coordination with WHO, international consultant and focal points from M/oNHSR&C and respective hospitals.
• National consultants will also accompany the Int’l consultant for visit hospitals in Pakistan to validate the preliminary assessment and provide detail action plan.
• National consultants in consultation with int’l expert will draft the report, in coordination with WHO, and present it to five hospitals and MoNHSR&C to receive feedback and will finalize the mission report accordingly.

2. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

National Consultants: 20 June – 31 August 2024 (22 working days)

3. Work to be performed:

To achieve the above objectives, it will be contracted with the following deliverables:

Output 1: Conduct assessment of mentioned hospitals in ICT using WHO tools / guides in coordination with Int’l consultant

Deliverable 1.1: Coordinate with int’l consultant and to provide technical input and support for the in depth study of five ICT hospitals including PIMS, Polyclinic, NIRM, FGH & IHITC Islamabad to access performance and identify challenges and related issues of health service delivery.

Deliverable 1.2: Conduct field visits to relevant facilities and assess the hospitals using WHO tools/guides by reviewing performance related data, conduct face to face meetings and interviewing relevant stakeholders to better understand the situation and challenges, and to complete and validate the assessment report.

Deliverable 1.3: National consultants will collaborate with int’l consultant as well as accompany him during in country visit to Pakistan for validation of preliminary assessment.

Deliverable 1.3: Identify gaps with international consultant and conduct problem analysis exercise to understand and identify the root causes as well as priority areas for interventions.

Output 2: Draft improvement action plan for enhancing the performance of five ICT Hospitals

Deliverable 2.1: Prepare a presentation with int’l consultant on identified gaps and root causes for presentation to stakeholders and agree on priority areas to be strengthened.

Deliverable 2.2: Work with Int’l consultant on drafting recommendations on policy options and actions to improve the identified prioritized areas for further discussion by stakeholders.

Deliverable 2.3: Provide technical input in developing an improvement plan for the agreed strategic options and propose implementation arrangements for enhancing the performance of hospitals in line with integrated people centred health services.

Output 3: Reports on assignment:

Deliverable 3.1: Submit comprehensive report writing with detail action plan on the assignment.

Technical Supervision

The selected Consultant will work on the supervision of:

Responsible Officer / WR

4. Specific requirements

• Qualifications Required:

• University degree in health services provision or management or any relevant field.
• Desirable: Master’s degree in health services provision or management or any relevant field.

• Experience required

• At least 5 years of professional experience in hospital services (clinical & administration) or hospital management or related field with experience of conducting similar activities.

• Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

• Ability to conduct in depth assessment through desk review, field visits, data collection and analysis and reporting.
• Ability to deliver high quality products in a timely manner.

• Language requirements:

• Excellent knowledge of English and Urdu (local language).

5. Place of assignment

• The assignment will take place in Islamabad / Pakistan.
• Travel not required.