Only complete applications will be considered.

The selection of candidates, carried out by a selection committee, will be based on the information provided in the application package, as well as on the candidates’ alignment with the required competencies, an analysis of conflicts of interest, and the committee’s need for multidisciplinary representation. Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application via email.

Committee members will be appointed by decision of the Director General of Santé publique France. The decision appointing the committee will be published on the agency’s website and forwarded to the General Directorate of Health of the Ministry of Health.

Members of the Scientific Council, the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, and the Steering and Dialogue Committee of Santé publique France are not eligible to apply.

The National Public Health Agency, established by Ordinance No. 2016-462 of April 14, 2016, is a public administrative agency under the supervision of the Ministry of Health. Its missions are as follows:

• epidemiological observation and monitoring of the health status of the population;

• monitoring health risks threatening the population;

• health promotion and the reduction of health risks;

• the development of prevention and health education;

• preparation for and response to health threats, alerts, and crises;

• issuing health alerts.

For more information: Santé publique France: Who are we?

The Expert Committee will be tasked with providing technical and operational expertise to Santé publique France, and will be responsible for issuing opinions and formulating technical and operational recommendations on response procedures and the resources needed to prepare the healthcare system for public health emergencies. In particular, it will:

• propose operational guidelines for the response of healthcare professionals in the event of a public health emergency, particularly regarding the care of victims;

• assess the resources and response methods of healthcare professionals established to address public health emergencies;

• make proposals regarding the material resources that could be made available to healthcare professionals to address public health emergencies;

• propose guidelines for the use of such equipment and assess the training needs of healthcare professionals;

• contribute to the collection and dissemination of best practices and information derived from French and international research and development in the field of response capabilities for SSE (whether of civilian or military origin, natural, accidental, or malicious).

The scope of the expert committee covers, in particular, the following types of equipment:

• mobile medical stations (MMS): Level 1 MMS capable of treating 25 victims, Level 2 MMS capable of treating 500 victims, pediatric MMS capable of treating 25 pediatric victims, and overseas territories (DOM) MMS adapted to the specific conditions of overseas territories and capable of treating 400 victims;

• personal protective equipment;

• detection, protection, and decontamination equipment;

• telecommunications equipment;

• mobile transport and backup ventilators for healthcare facilities;

• and any other element likely to constitute an effective public health countermeasure, enabling an early response to rapidly strengthen pre-hospital response capabilities to address a Nuclear, Radiological, Biological, Chemical, or Explosive (NRBC-E) incident.

This expert committee will consist of approximately twenty members appointed by the Director General of Santé publique France for a term of three years. In the event of a major incident, the committee’s term may be extended for a maximum of one year.

Committee members serve in their personal capacity and therefore cannot be replaced.

To fulfill its missions and enrich its work, the expert committee may organize hearings with external experts.

To meet the established objectives, the Expert Committee will be composed of civilian and military healthcare professionals (hospital staff, SAMU-SMUR, SSA, SDIS, etc.) and public health experts, recognized for their expertise and experience in managing emergencies and exceptional health situations.

General Qualifications

• interest and experience in the field of public health emergencies within the context of exceptional health situations, including research, development, and evaluation;

• Very good knowledge of preparedness and response systems, particularly regarding the organization and resources to be deployed by healthcare facilities to address an exceptional health situation;

• knowledge of generic planning documents (regional mobilization plan, ORSAN system, etc.);

• Ability to work collaboratively and in a multidisciplinary manner, including under constrained conditions (tight deadlines, significant uncertainties, etc.).

Specific Skills

These fall within the scope of various professional fields involved:

• in various medical and surgical specialties: disaster medicine, emergency medicine, anesthesiology and critical care, critical care and intensive care medicine, orthopedic surgery and traumatology, and other surgical disciplines involved in the emergency care of patients with multiple trauma or gunshot wounds, pediatric emergency medicine, infectious diseases (particularly emerging and tropical diseases), psychiatry, toxicology;

• hospital pharmacy;

• healthcare managers and specialized nurses, notably state-certified nurse anesthetists (IADE);

• hospital hygiene;

• professionals with CBRN-E expertise;

• biomedical engineers;

• professionals with expertise in telecommunications (information and communication technology engineers, etc.);

• public health professionals working at the regional (ARS) or zonal (ARS de zone) level.

Committee members who are members of professional societies may be asked to serve as liaisons with those societies (indicative list):

• French Federation of Psychiatry / Association for Training and Research in Medical-Psychological Emergency Units – French Society of Psychotraumatology (AFORCUMP-SFP);

• French-Language Resuscitation Society (SRLF);

• French Society of Anesthesia and Resuscitation (SFAR);

• French Society of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology (SOFCOT);

• French Society of Emergency Medicine (SFMU);

• French Society of Disaster Medicine (SFMC);

• French Society of Pediatrics (SFP);

• French Society of Clinical Toxicology (SFTC);

Workload

The committee is expected to meet in plenary session at least three times a year for one day, with an estimated workload for members of approximately 10 days per year (research, working meetings, drafting opinions and recommendations, etc.).

The committee may be required to address urgent matters in accordance with the procedures set forth in the rules of procedure.

Operations

A chairperson, and if necessary a vice-chairperson, of this committee will be appointed from among its members who have volunteered for this role by the Director General of Santé publique France.

The Director General of Santé publique France shall provide the committee with the resources necessary for its operation. The management and secretariat of the expert committee are handled by the Alert and Crisis Directorate (DAC) of Santé publique France.

Members must sign a “confidentiality agreement,” committing them not to disclose, in any form whatsoever and to any person whatsoever, the information exchanged or the content of the discussions that took place during committee meetings.

Members must also commit to participating regularly in the committee’s meetings and work.

The opinions and recommendations of the expert committee are issued in accordance with the charter of expertise provided for in Article L. 1452-2 of the Public Health Code. The principles of impartiality, transparency, plurality, and the right to be heard must be respected.

Subject to compliance with legally protected secrets, particularly the rules regarding the protection of national defense secrets, the expert committee’s opinions and recommendations are made public.

The expert committee must ensure the traceability of the sources used, the transparency of the methods employed, and the clarity of the conclusions reached.

Santé publique France must ensure the quality of the expert assessment with regard to the competence and independence of those conducting it. To this end, in accordance with the provisions of Article R. 1451-3 of the Public Health Code, each member must submit a public declaration of interests in order to participate in the committee’s work.

Travel and subsistence expenses are reimbursed in accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to civilian government employees.

Compensation for loss of income in the case of self-employed individuals, as well as compensation for time spent attending meetings and for work performed, shall be provided in accordance with the schedule established by the Board of Directors of Santé publique France, pursuant to Resolution No. 2017-9 regarding compensation for members and experts participating in committees and work carried out for Santé publique France.