Standard 32: Humanitarian and Emergency Operations (Version 11)

Before services start, the population's health needs, the security situation, access, and the capacity of the local health system are assessed and documented.

Rating: Minimum in humanitarian settings; Must in transition and fragile settings; Must in standard settings.

Not assessed (N/A) for: fitness and wellness, aesthetic and procedure clinic.

Guidance

Humanitarian teams that start services without knowing the health needs, the security situation and access often waste resources or put people at risk. The needs assessment is done and documented before the first service opens.

The assessment covers the health needs of the population and the capacity of the local health system, so that services fill real gaps and do not duplicate what exists. The record is kept on the needs and capacity assessment record (HUM-FRM-001).

What good looks like

• A needs and capacity assessment record (HUM-FRM-001) completed for each deployment.
• The assessment dated before the first service opens.
• Local health system capacity recorded in the assessment.
• Assessment reviewed at the set point in each deployment.

Common mistakes

• A camp opened on the basis of a visit lasting one day.
• Health needs recorded but local capacity not checked.
• The assessment kept in a personal file and not in the deployment record.
• Assessment dated after services started.

Questions the surveyor asks

• Each deployment has a needs assessment covering health needs and the capacity of the local health system. The surveyor checks each assessment for the health needs and local capacity recorded.

How the surveyor verifies this criterion

References

1. WHO (2026). Emergency ready primary health care operational guide. https://news.gmj.ge/guideline/emergency-ready-primary-health-care-operational-guide/

Each deployment has a written plan for how it will end, either by handing over to the local health system or by a defined time limit. The handover is planned before the service starts.

Rating: Minimum in humanitarian settings; Must in transition and fragile settings; Must in standard settings.

Not assessed (N/A) for: fitness and wellness, aesthetic and procedure clinic.

Guidance

Humanitarian services are often meant to be temporary. Each deployment has a written plan for how it ends, either by handing over to the local health system or by a defined time limit, and the plan is agreed before the service starts.

The handover is agreed with the local health system and recorded with the date. Continuity of each handed-over service is tracked in the handover tracking register (HUM-REG-001) after the team leaves.

What good looks like

• A deployment exit and handover policy (HUM-POL-002).
• A handover agreed with the local health system and recorded with its date.
• A handover tracking register (HUM-REG-001) for each handed-over service.
• Exit plan written before the first service opens.

Common mistakes

• A deployment ends with no handover and no one told.
• A handover agreed verbally and not recorded.
• Services stop on the date the funding ends, with no continuity tracked.
• The exit plan written after the team has already decided to leave.

Questions the surveyor asks

• The handover is agreed with the local health system and recorded. The surveyor checks each handover for the agreement and the date.
• Service continuity after exit is tracked. The surveyor checks the handover tracking register for the follow-up of each handed-over service.

How the surveyor verifies this criterion

References

1. In process of development. Will be available soon.

Staff and volunteers are trained in protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. Community engagement is in place. Safe referral pathways exist for people who disclose abuse or violence.

Rating: Minimum in humanitarian settings; Must in transition and fragile settings; Must in standard settings.

Not assessed (N/A) for: fitness and wellness, aesthetic and procedure clinic.

Guidance

In humanitarian settings, people who depend on aid are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse by those who should protect them. Every staff member and volunteer is trained in protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, and the training is recorded.

Community engagement is in place for each activity and recorded. Safe referral pathways exist for people who disclose abuse or violence, following the protection and do-no-harm policy (HUM-POL-003).

What good looks like

• A protection and do-no-harm policy (HUM-POL-003).
• Training recorded for every staff member and volunteer.
• Community engagement recorded for each activity.
• Referral pathways for disclosures known to all staff and volunteers.

Common mistakes

• Volunteers deployed before they have been trained.
• Community engagement held once and never recorded again.
• Disclosures handled informally with no referral.
• A reporting route that people in the community do not know.

Questions the surveyor asks

• Staff and volunteers are trained in protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. The surveyor checks the training record for each staff member and volunteer.
• Community engagement is in place and recorded. The surveyor checks each engagement record for the community involvement.

How the surveyor verifies this criterion

References

1. IASC Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (Inter-Agency Standing Committee, 2019).
2. Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response (The Sphere Handbook) (Sphere Association, 2018).

A surge and mass-casualty plan is written, covers triage and coordination with local authorities, and is tested on a defined schedule.

Rating: Minimum in humanitarian settings; Medium in transition and fragile settings; Must in standard settings.

Not assessed (N/A) for: fitness and wellness, aesthetic and procedure clinic.

Guidance

A sudden mass casualty event in a humanitarian setting can overwhelm the team in minutes. A surge and mass-casualty plan is written before the event, covers triage and coordination with local authorities, and sets out the roles of the staff who will respond.

The plan is tested on a defined schedule through rehearsals, recorded on the rehearsal and drill record (HOS-REG-004). The plan itself is kept as the mass-casualty and utility failure plan (HOS-PLN-001).

What good looks like

• A mass-casualty and utility failure plan (HOS-PLN-001).
• A rehearsal and drill record (HOS-REG-004) for each exercise.
• Triage and coordination with local authorities included in the plan.
• Rehearsals on the set schedule, with actions recorded.

Common mistakes

• A plan that has never been rehearsed.
• Rehearsals held without staff roles being checked.
• Coordination with local authorities assumed rather than agreed.
• Plan not updated after a change of staff or site.

How the surveyor verifies this criterion

References

1. WHO (2020). Hospital Emergency Response Checklist. https://news.gmj.ge/guideline/hospital-emergency-response-checklist/
2. WHO (2020). Best Practice Guidelines on Emergency Surgical Care in Disaster Situations. https://news.gmj.ge/guideline/best-practice-guidelines-on-emergency-surgical-care-in-disaster-situations/

Staff have a security plan, rotation schedule and access to psychosocial support. Incidents affecting staff are recorded and reviewed.

Rating: Minimum in humanitarian settings; Must in transition and fragile settings; Must in standard settings.

Not assessed (N/A) for: fitness and wellness, aesthetic and procedure clinic.

Guidance

Staff working in emergencies face danger, stress and exhaustion. Each deployment has a staff security plan dated before it starts, and staff rotation is scheduled and kept.

Staff have access to psychosocial support. Each incident affecting staff is recorded in the staff incident register (HUM-REG-002) and reviewed, and the review leads to a change where one is needed.

What good looks like

• A staff security, rotation and psychosocial support policy (HUM-POL-004).
• A rotation schedule checked against the actual rotations.
• A staff incident register (HUM-REG-002) with each incident reviewed.
• Psychosocial support available to every member of staff.

Common mistakes

• A security plan written after the team arrives.
• Rotation schedules that are never checked against what happened.
• Incidents reported informally and not recorded.
• No support offered after a serious incident.

Questions the surveyor asks

• Each deployment has a staff security plan. The surveyor checks each deployment for the security plan dated before the start.
• Staff rotation is scheduled and kept. The surveyor checks the rotation schedule against the actual rotations.
• Each incident affecting staff is recorded and reviewed. The surveyor checks the incident register for each entry and its review.

How the surveyor verifies this criterion

References

1. WHO (2022). Caring for those who care: Guide for the development and implementation of occupational health and safety programmes for health workers. https://news.gmj.ge/guideline/caring-for-those-who-care-guide-for-the-development-and-implementation-of-occupational-health-and-safety-programmes-for-health-workers/
2. World Health Organization (2021). Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030: Towards Eliminating Avoidable Harm in Health Care. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240032705