Psychiatrist Pool

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people in 70 countries who are affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare. MSF offers assistance to people based on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation and our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of neutrality and impartiality.

Our project focuses on providing medical and mental health care to Migrant Workers in the country.

Main Objective of the position: 
 

MSF is establishing a pool of Psychiatrists for the following purposes:

• To replace maternity for 4 months, with activity rate 10% means 4 hours per week within an OPD
• To establish roster of on call psychiatrists ready for mental health emergency intervention on field within Beirut area when needed (for the whole year)

The Psychiatrist will collaborate with MSF medical staff on the integration of psychiatric treatment with basic healthcare services in order to ensure the treatment of patients suffering from severe and common psychiatric disorders.

 Accountabilities:

General accountabilities for maternity replacement in OPD and for on call for mental health emergency intervention in the field:

• Provide treatment for patients suffering from severe and common psychiatric disorders with specific attention to the cultural context.
• Provide training and supervision to national and international medical staff (doctors and nurses) on diagnosis and treatment of severe and common mental health disorders according to MSF guidelines
• Participate as a member of the mental health team when present and offer supervision and support to national psychologists and counsellors
• Ensure that guidelines and psychotropic medications from MSF standard drug list are available in the project
• Ensure that proper information on treatment and follow up are collected in order to monitor the provision of care.
• Evaluate in-country available psychiatric services including possibilities for psychiatric hospitalization and the quality of these services.
• Form a relationship with MoH and exploration of sustainability of psychiatric treatment.
• Establish collaboration/communication with medical specialties in the project in order to achieve a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care.

Specific accountabilities for maternity replacement in OPD:

• Take part in multi-disciplinary management of psychiatric cases when needed.
• Conduct assessments and follow up consultations with psychiatric cases referred by the psychologists following MSF protocols.
• Provide medical reports to patients when requested e.g. in case of repatriation, hospitalization etc..
• Support MHGAP trained GPs in project to learn about how to do follow up appointments and distribution of prescribed medication
• Support referral of patients that are stable but chronically in need of pharmacological support into the public system

Specific accountabilities for on call for mental health emergency intervention in the field:

• Ensure on-call availability (as per roster) for the project in case of mental health emergencies
• Join the mental health team, nurses, community health personnel in the field assessment and make recommendations on the immediate management accordingly.
• Provide a treatment plan for the patient in situation of MH emergency i.e. initial assessment, pharmaceutical containment if needed, determining need for hospitalization, follow up plan.
• Provide assessment reports in case need for hospitalization was determined.
• Maintain information and data to be kept in patient’s file.
• Availability to work in different places according to the needs of the MSF target population (community, shelter, houses…etc)

Education

• Essential Medical Doctor diploma
• Essential Specialty Diploma
• Essential MoPH’s license to practice in Lebanon and MoPH’s specialist license.
• Essential certificate of registration at the Lebanese Order of Physicians (as a specialist)

Experience

• Essential working experience as a Psychiatrist
• Desired experience in training and supervision
• Desired experience working with migrant population/ in migration context
• Desired experience working in Mental health emergency

Languages:

• Essential: Arabic language (fluent) and English (fluent)

NOTE ! Flexibility in working on weekends is needed !

Competencies:

• Results and quality orientation L2
• Teamwork and cooperation L2
• Behavioural flexibility L2
• Commitment to MSF’s principles L2
• Stress Management L3