Prepared by: Dr. Musa Ajlouni January, 2010 - World Health ...

There is no long-range plan for human resources ;either in terms of numbers of staffneeded to provide good quality services, or in terms of human resourcedevelopment (training) or management activities which can provide a cohesive andprogressive program for human resources.However, most components of the HRH policy are not fully implemented; still seemto be developed more for the sake of having a policy and a plan. A policyformulation exercise is meaningful only if its purpose is clearly spelled out and seenas a real opportunity for change. The HRH policy in Jordan has to be translated intoa work plan with clearly defined objectives, strategies and expected results, with atime-frame and resources attached to them.6.2 Policy development, planning and managing for HRMinistry of Health is still often working on HRH policies and plans through asmall group of people based in the central planning unit and the departmentof HRH. It is recommended that, formal mechanisms should be establishedfor coordinating health policy and planning activities, including HRH. Thiscould be achieved by creating a dynamic working relationship between policymakers, programme planners, the producers and regulators of healthpersonnel, health care providers and consumers’ representatives.There are two departments/directorates for HRH in MOH responsible fordeveloping, implementing and monitoring HRH strategies: one for PersonnelAdministration and the second for Human Resources Development (seeAnnex one).Both departments report to the Director General of AdministrativeAffairs.Personnel Administration Directorate is responsible for HRH administrativefunctions as recruitment, placement, evaluation, compensation andmanagement of HRH information system. This department participates inHRH policy development and planning. It has direct contacts and closeworking relationships with the Civil Service Bureau. 78 employees work in thisdepartment, third of them are university graduates.The Human Resources Development Directorate is responsible for HRHtraining and development, studies and research, and continuing educationprograms. It has 30 employees, 8 of them are university graduates. Training is oftenoffered on an ad hoc basis, but is not based on a formal process of assessing staffneeds nor is it linked to the organization’s key priorities and changes in the healthsector and health practices.There is little recognition of the need to prepare health professionals to take onmanagement responsibilities (i.e. hospital management, financing, human resourcemanagement, etc). Doctors can be appointed as hospital directors without any priorexperience or training in management. Management training and development is not67