NHS Scotland Global Citizenship Doing It Well

Section 1 – What is Global Citizenship?

Why get involved?

Many NHS staff want to contribute to global health in low- and middle-income countries because they want to be part of making a positive contribution overseas and develop their skills. The motivations are multiple, but a common theme is the recognition that access to healthcare is a human right and that many people possess the skills in demand to help alleviate the gaps.

Exercise: As a starting point it’s worth asking yourself why you want to get involved in global health.

Some possible answers:

• I have skills that are matched with the needs
• I am a good teacher and can share my skills and knowledge with others
• I am an experienced engineer/technician/data analyst/water engineer and I can share my skills and knowledge
• I am interested in developing my skills and knowledge and interested in meeting new colleagues and building collaborative partnerships
• I am thinking about retirement and I have always wanted to see if my skills and knowledge can help
• I want to do research and contribute to global health in this way

Benefits of getting involved in global health work

There is clear evidence that involvement in global health benefits the people who participate, our healthcare system, and ultimately the Scottish population through a reinvigorated, self-sufficient, innovative and productive workforce.

Evidence for the mutual benefits of global health work can be found in the academic literature and in the experience of health systems that have combined the development of global health work with training and service delivery. Benefits to individuals include developing:

• leadership and management skills
• communication and teamwork
• clinical skills
• policy awareness and experience
• academic skills
• patient experience and dignity
• personal resilience, satisfaction and interest

Case Study: Jacqui Doran, Scientist, NHS Lothian, who volunteers with a small charity that has a cervical cancer screen-and-treat programme in Guyana, South America

Our cervical cancer screen-and-treat programme in Guyana, South America has grown from strength to strength over the years. We are now a small charity called Remote Health Outreach Guyana (RHOG) made up of mainly Guyanese volunteers with the occasional overseas volunteer, who are most welcome. Our modality of screening has changed over the years and currently we use self-sample HPV testing as our primary screening method, keeping in line with the country’s vision and WHO screening recommendations.

We have added a breast cancer awareness campaign and still continue to provide dental services, which is the most popular outreach service. The photo above shows children’s hands after dental triage. A smiley face means they have to see the dentist. This work keeps us all busy even outside of the bi-annual expeditions – there is so much organisation involved from a variety of volunteers. The expeditions are fun, tiring, challenging but extremely worthwhile. My work in Guyana keeps me grounded, refreshed and resourceful as an NHS employee and keeps me grateful for having our NHS here in Scotland.

I am reminded of how fortunate I am to have had opportunities made available to me that have resulted in the person I am today.

The high cervical cancer rate in Guyana’s interior makes me an advocate here at home for our successful NHS cervical screening programme too.

Benefits to NHS Scotland and the Scottish Population

Working in low-and middle-income countries often enhances clinical expertise as a result of working in a setting with fewer diagnostic resources. This makes us better equipped to adapt to transformation and change in NHS Scotland.

The Scottish population is diverse, and we benefit greatly from staff with cross-cultural experience, awareness and understanding. The experience can also help stimulate innovation and learning through experience of different models of care and healthcare systems.

Benefits to NHS Scotland include:

• enhancement of recruitment and retention
• system learning and capacity building
• professional development of the workforce
• improved patient experience
• reputational development

Safeguarding and ‘Do No Harm’

International development and humanitarian assistance involve working with the most vulnerable people and it is critical that no harm is done. This includes harm which is not intended. The international development sector has been quick to act following the heightened media attention early in 2018 on abuses that had taken place during the delivery of humanitarian work. This intense scrutiny has put pressure on governments and international development organisations to demonstrate that they have robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place. All NHS Scotland employees who participate in Global Citizenship are reminded that they are required to continue to meet the NHS Scotland Code of Conduct and Scottish Government Statement on Safeguarding for international development work.

Safeguarding Support Package, ‘Safer for All’ has been developed by Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA) and designed specifically to provide information, tools, and resources and support needed to ensure that safeguarding practice meets the highest standards.

Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA)

Scotland’s International Development Alliance provides support to people and organisations in Scotland involved in international development. SIDA provide a range of resources including education and training as well as access to a comprehensive funding database.

Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP)

If you have an interest in Malawi, the Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP) is the national civil society network co-ordinating, supporting and representing the people-to-people links between our two nations. The organisation represents a community of 109,000 Scots with active links to Malawi.

The SMP is a membership organisation which anyone in Scotland with an interest in Malawi can join. It is a non-governmental and politically neutral member-led organisation. Its sister organisation, Malawi Scotland Partnership (MaSP), is a Malawian-owned and Malawian-led network which exists to support and develop Malawi’s many civil society links with Scotland, thereby enhancing the cooperation between Malawi and Scotland Government on one hand and the North and South on the other.

Scotland Zambia Partnership (SCOZAP)

If you have an interest in Zambia, the Scotland Zambia Partnership (SCOZAP) is the diaspora-led organisation with membership of around 500 Zambians and friends of Zambia. SCOZAP is a membership organisation which anyone in Scotland with an interest in Zambia can join. It is a non-governmental and politically neutral member-led organisation.