1. North-east NHS health links with developing countries Professor Richard Walker Consultant Physician / Honorary Professor of Ageing and International Health North Tyneside General Hospital/Institute of Health and Society

2. Establishing an International Health Links Network

3. International Health Links AHSN NENC Project Last year we commenced a project sponsored by the Academic Health Science Network North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC) to set up a regional network of international health links. Through the project we have, so far, identified 31 international health links in the region, working in 16 different countries

4. International Health Links AHSN NENC Project The project demonstrated that the region is full of philanthropic international activity, with lots of healthcare professionals engaging in international health volunteering and many of our NHS Trusts working in partnership with overseas organisations Photographs courtesy of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Smiles Across Nepal, Brian Earley, Ian Holtby and Vikki Ford-Powell

5. International Health Links AHSN NENC Project We have established contact with all 31 links and from this, we have been able to gather information about their activity such as their areas of focus, numbers of volunteers and how they are funded This information pointed to key ways that international health links could learn from each other to develop and grow their work

6. Benefits of a Regional Network A regional network of international health links can bring several benefits to the Link, their overseas partner and NHS trust and also promote wider learning around global health, international volunteering and related fields, for example, it will help to:

7. Establishing the Network The network has already benefitted Links by facilitating the sharing of donations and equipment and enabling people to connect with each other and build useful contacts

8. To further unfold the benefits and facilitate communication we have undertaken work to launch two online resources : 1.NENC International Health Links Facebook Page 2. NENC International Health Links Webpage The North East and North Cumbria International Health Links Network

9. NENC International Health Links Facebook Page The North East and North Cumbria International Health Links Network https://www.facebook.com/NENChealthlinks Like Share Use

10. The North East and North Cumbria International Health Links Network Webpage: A webpage containing information about the network, displaying images and information about many of the international health links in the region has been set up: https://www.northumbria.nhs.uk/get-involved/charity/international-links These online resources have been developed to enable the network to support and contact each other more easily and for others interested in this work to be able to better engage with the network and learn about international health volunteering. Through our research, the Links also suggested they’d like to meet face-to-face so there are also plans for bi-annual network meetings to take place across the region.

11. Northumbria / Tanzania Partnership Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre

12. Global Health experience The benefits to the NHS… – Membership of the NHS Overseas Volunteering Group – Northumbria Healthcare has been cited in a number of publications as an example of good practice, including the 2013 APPG report on global health ‘Improving Health at Home and Abroad: How overseas volunteering from the NHS benefits the UK and the world’ The trust has published research in the HSJ. ‘Innovative workforce development – the case for international health links’ A toolkit developed by the trust to capture knowledge and skills gained from international work for the purposes of annual appraisal and revalidation has recently been published by Health Education England. This year the trust has been working with the Academic Health Sciences Network to establish a network of international links for the North East and Cumbria.

13. Why we set up the partnership How it all started… First visited Tanzania in 1999 Secured British Council Funding in 2001 – Modest beginnings - started work on physiotherapy, occupational therapy, clinical coding and wound management The Tanzania Partnership was officially adopted as an institutional link in 2006

14. What we’ve achieved so far Some of the skills we’ve shared… Introduced a BSc in Physiotherapy – first in Tanzania Opened first and only endoscopy unit with equipment donated by the Trust Improved the recording and reporting of statistics to the World Health Organisation through the introduction of ICD10 Introduced new surgery techniques – laparoscopic

15. A new ultrasound outreach service Tackling the Millennium Development Goals… For every 100,000 babies born 587 women die in childbirth We have helped to save lives by detecting life threatening conditions early in pregnancy and….. – Trained doctors, nurses and midwives in new techniques – Set up an ultrasound clinic in three rural hospitals – Developed a short course in ultrasound which is now being taught by Tanzanian doctors to healthcare professionals from across East Africa

16. The new challenge Developing a dedicated Burns Unit … Working with a multi disciplinary team to develop a clinical service for burns patients. Training surgeons in plastic surgery techniques to improve the mobility of patients with serious burns injuries Taking a whole system approach: fire prevention training in schools, acute care of burns in hospital and community rehabilitation.

17. Potential for links Enthusiasm Support and cross cultural friendships Education Personal development Exchange of skills and expertise Increased global awareness New perspectives on life and work Development of sustainable partnerships to tackle health inequalities

18. Problems Insensitive or short term contacts No impact on improving health in southern partner Staff who are poorly prepared or insensitive to cultural differences may cause more harm than good

19. RESEARCH

20. Tanzanian Stroke Incidence Project All incident strokes in Hai and Dar-es-Salaam AMMP project areas History, examination, blood tests, DNA, ECG, echocardiogram and CT head scan Follow up at 1 month and 6 months Two age and sex matched controls from AMMP database for each patient - all investigations except CT head scan

21. Comparison of age-specific stroke rates for those ≥ 45 years in Hai, Dar-es-Salaam and African-Americans in Northern Manattan

22. Link Be in it for the long haul Learn from others Work with others (not just health professionals) ENTHUSIASM