Palliative Care Physician

Terms of Reference (ToR)

Position Title:

Positions

Location:

Duration:

Initial of 1 Year (with possibility of extension)

Reports To:

Remuneration

(CTC basis):

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About Defeat-NCD India Foundation:

The Defeat-NCD India Foundation (DNCD-I) is a not-for-profit charitable organization, registered under section 8 of the Indian Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013). The foundation is set up as the practical response to the widespread call for action on non-communicable diseases (NCD). The Foundations activities focus on assisting low resource countries to scale-up action on NCD through: (i) national capacity building; (ii) community scale-up of NCD services; (iii) affordability and accessibility of essential NCD supplies; and (iv) financing for country-level NCD programming. In achieving its mandate, the Foundation works with governments, multilateral agencies, civil society, academia, philanthropies, and the private sector. The Foundations efforts are aimed specifically at SDG 3.4 i.e. the reduction by one-third of premature mortality from NCD through prevention and treatment.

NCD and poverty are strongly inter-connected, and the SDGs also drive the Foundation's principal values, especially that of equity through aiming to "leave no one behind" and proactively reaching out to the most needy and vulnerable.

Project context:

Towards the institutionalising these objectives, Defeat-NCD India Foundation, in partnership with various government and municipal hospitals and independent health care institutes. This initiative integrates Outpatient, Inpatient, Home-based, and Advocacy components, aligned with India’s National Programme for Palliative Care (NPPC) and WHO’s Public Health Model for Palliative Care.

The Palliative Care Physicians will play a central clinical and leadership role in establishing, delivering, and scaling holistic, person-centred palliative care services across respective project areas, ensuring integration within existing health systems and community structures.

Key responsibilities:

• Clinical

  Leadership:

  Lead a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive palliative care across OPD, IPD, and home-care settings—covering pain relief, symptom management, psychosocial and spiritual support.
• Care P

  lanning:

  Develop and implement individualised care plans in collaboration with patients, families, specialist consultants and multidisciplinary teams (nurses, counsellors, physiotherapists, dieticians, and medical social workers).
• Safe

  Opioid Practice:

  Ensure rational and compliant use of essential narcotic drugs in accordance with the NDPS Act (2014) and institutional protocols.
• Training

  & Mentorship:

  Support the training of medical officers, nurses, and community health workers to strengthen palliative care capacity at all health system levels.
• Documentation

  & Quality Improvement:

  Maintain accurate medical records, contribute to monitoring and evaluation processes, and participate in quality improvement (QI) initiatives
• Advocacy

  & Coordination:

  Support project team for collaboration e with government counterparts, professional bodies, and community-based organisations to promote awareness and integration of palliative care services within the public health system.

Qualifications and Experience

• MBBS, MD- Palliative Medicine/DNB Palliative Medicine
• Fellowship/ Certificate/ Diploma in Palliative care
• 2-5 years in clinical practice; palliative care experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex pain and symptoms, communicate effectively with patients and families, and work in interdisciplinary teams.

Competencies:

• Compassionate, patient-centred clinical approach.
• Strong communication, counselling, and ethical decision-making skills.
• Familiarity with NPPC of India and WHO palliative care frameworks.

APPLICATIONS:

Deadline for applications

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.