Psychiatrist - Al-Kufra

Background/IRC Summary:
Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. The IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The situation confronting Sudanese refugees in Libya is complicated and challenging, defined by instability and insecurity. Many have fled Sudan for reasons of safety and better prospects, escaping the country's financial constraints, violence, and persecution. But when they get to Libya, they frequently discover themselves in terrible circumstances, including as cramped living quarters, restricted access to essential services, and a continual fear of violence.

The IRC is working in Libya since August 2016, targeting the most vulnerable non-displaced, IDPs, refugees and migrants in hard-to-reach areas. According to assessments, healthcare is considered the priority need in Libya, most urgently in terms of quality health staff, medicines and supplies. There are significant gaps in the response, according to Libya’s Ministry of Health (MoH), the Libyan Red Crescent, UN agencies, and international NGOs. IRC’s team in Libya has the specific goal of reaching those in the hardest hit areas to beneficiaries of all ages and gender, both Libyans and third-country nationals. The health activities will be focused on supporting essential primary health care.

Major Responsibilities:
The Psychiatrist will work with IRC’s medical teams in the different supported settings (public health facilities, , Community Development Centers), she/he will: .

• Provide regular supervision sessions to ensure proper treatment plans are put in place based on the patients unique needs,
• Ensure follow up of patients is being done properly, including prescription of drugs is being made as per the WHO's recommendations and the national recommendations,
• Provide needed support to maintain doctor's neutrality with patients and to mitigate counter-transfer issues
• Ensure referral pathways to secondary and tertiary level services are functioning and when needed, provide specialized consultations to the patients in need for psychiatrist care.
• Mentor medical doctors, the psychologists to ensure quality over the treatment plans.
• Provide training and refreshers for IRC clinical staff. .
• Assessing the risk of self-harm and suicide as well as the risk of harm to others and follow the referral pathways as needed. Psychiatrists have legislated and ethical responsibility for ensuring that the rights of involuntary patients are protected at all times.
• Provide needed guidance on psychotropic prescription.
• Support IRC teams maintaining quality narrative patients’ records, ensuring confidentiality of the data recorded
• Educate patients, caregivers and the broader community while also learning from them.
• Updates job knowledge by participating in continuing medical educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
•  Undertake other tasks as assigned by the IRC supervisor to enable and contribute to IRC’s programming.

Staff management
The psychiatrist will not be line managing any internal staff.

Professional Standards:
The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to:  The position will report to the medical team leader and will receive additional technical support from the Mental Health Specialist. 

Working Environment:  This position will be based in storm affected areas in Al Kufra municipalities.