Terms of Reference (TOR)

Consultant for ICOPE-Readiness Assessment in selected public Health facilities in District Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Background

The Foundation for Ageing and Inclusive Development (FAID) is a leading national non-profit organization registered under Section 42 of the Companies Act, 2017 with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). FAID is dedicated to advancing the rights, dignity, and well-being of older people and other vulnerable groups by strengthening health systems, promoting social protection, and fostering community participation. FAID has served as a technical partner to the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) in developing Pakistan’s National Healthy Ageing Framework and contextualizing the WHO Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) guidelines for national use. To date, FAID has supported the formation and capacity-building of over 200 Older People’s Associations (OPAs) across multiple provinces, conducted national and provincial consultations, and facilitated health system assessments that have informed policy and programmatic decisions on ageing and inclusion.

Under the HelpAge International / SIDA-funded ALIGN Project (Action for Local and Global Investment in NCD and Integrated Health and Care Approaches), FAID is implementing a comprehensive set of activities to integrate WHO’s ICOPE and non-communicable disease (NCD) care into facility and community settings in District Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The first step is a comprehensive ICOPE-readiness assessment across selected public and private health facilities, which will inform a tailored service strengthening plan and capacity-building program for healthcare workers. With its proven expertise in research, participatory assessments, and technical assistance, FAID is uniquely positioned to ensure that the readiness assessment produces practical, actionable recommendations that support the integration of ICOPE into provincial health systems.

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to assess the readiness of selected public health facilities in Nowshera District to implement WHO’s ICOPE approach. The assessment will examine infrastructure, human resources, service delivery models, digital capacity, and institutional practices related to geriatric and NCD care. The findings will:

1-     Identify service delivery gaps and opportunities.

2-     Recommend priority interventions for infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, and referral systems.

3-     Inform the design of a district-specific service strengthening and capacity building training plan, ensuring inclusion of older women, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for:

1. Inception Phase

-        Review project documents, ICOPE guidelines, and relevant policies.

-        Develop a detailed methodology, tools, and sampling strategy for health facility assessment.

-        Prepare an inception report and present it to FAID for approval.

2. Data Collection & Analysis

-        Conduct desk review of health facility records, health policies, and service delivery guidelines.

-        Carry out field assessments in a representative sample of selected public health facilities including BHUs, RHCs, THQs.

-        Conduct key informant interviews (health managers, providers, Lady Health Workers, OPAs).

-        Map referral pathways, digital capacity (e.g., ICOPE app-readiness), and supply chain for NCD medicines and assistive devices.

-        Integrate age, gender, disability, and equity considerations into analysis.

3. Reporting & Recommendations

-        Produce a draft report with findings, gaps, and actionable recommendations.

-        Facilitate a validation workshop with FAID, Health Department, and key stakeholders.

-        Finalize a comprehensive ICOPE-readiness assessment report, including a practical roadmap for facility and system strengthening.

Deliverables

1-      Inception Report including Methodology, tools, and detailed work plan.

2-      Preliminary Findings having summary of key observations after data collection.

3-      Draft Report including comprehensive analysis with evidence-based recommendations.

4-      Final Report after incorporating stakeholder feedback, including a service strengthening and training plan.

5-      Presentation to relevant stakeholders on summary of key findings and recommendations.

Duration & Timeline

Assignment period

30 days (between 15 September – 14 October 2025)

Estimated Level of Effort

20 working days (flexible schedule based on agreed work plan).

Required Qualifications

ü  Advanced degree in Public Health, Health Systems, Geriatrics, or related field.

ü  Minimum 7–10 years of experience in health systems research, facility assessments, or service delivery evaluations.

ü  Proven expertise in ageing, NCD management, or primary healthcare strengthening.

ü  Familiarity with WHO ICOPE framework highly desirable.

ü  Experience in age, gender and disability in health programming.

ü  Excellent analytical, facilitation, and report-writing skills.

ü  Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines.

Reporting & Coordination

The consultant will report directly to FAID’s Project Coordinator – ALIGN Project and work closely with FAID’s technical team and the Health Department in District Nowshera and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province for coordination and access to facilities.