NHS Scottish Global Health Co-ordination Unit
#GlobalCitizenshipScot
The NHS Scotland Global Citizenship programme aims to increase NHS Scotland’s global health contribution by making it easier for all NHS staff to participate in global citizenship, both here in Scotland and overseas.
“Scotland cannot act with credibility overseas if we are blind to inequality here at home. And our ambitions for a fairer Scotland are undermined without global action to tackle poverty”
Global health, alongside climate change, represents one of the greatest challenges facing contemporary societies.
Global Citizenship is viewed by the Scottish Government as a core national value. It is the title of the Government’s International Development Strategy, and has a key position in Scotland’s national schools programme ‘Curriculum for Excellence’.
Global Citizenship is both a concept and an attitude which welcomes diversity, global solidarity, and which pursues justice both at home and abroad. The Scottish Government has expressed this value by embracing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a dual commitment to tackling inequalities at home and to helping developing countries grow in a fair and sustainable way.
Apart from a moral commitment to global citizenship, Scotland’s health service have two key reasons to engage in global health work:
common challenges: disease epidemics, drug-resistant infections, and non-communicable disease burdens do not respect national boundaries and need to be tackled with international cooperation.
mutual learning opportunities: engagement in global health work brings proven benefits to our health workers and our healthcare system*.
NHS Scotland takes a strategic approach to global health engagement which embraces Global Citizenship in the Scottish health service.
source: GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP in the Scottish Health Service, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Stories of people, partnership and place:
Data coding for OXCGRT COVID policy tracker
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellen Sugrue paused her full-time masters in infectious diseases and international health to contribute to the Oxford COVID Government response tracker, the world’s largest tracker of non-pharmaceutical intervention run by the University of Oxford. Ellen knew this would be a meaningful way to contribute to global health data.
Global Citizens Tayside
Utilising a diverse range of platforms, Global Citizens Tayside aims to showcase Global Citizenship work in the area and to bring like-minded people together. Future aims include supporting traditionally under-represented groups such as students, nurses, other allied health professionals, and other essential members of NHS staff such as porters, support staff and cleaners to get involved in Global Citizenship activity.
The Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit and The Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burn Unit of Korle Bu Hospital, Accra Ghana
What does equitable, successful partnership look like? Dr Mike Basler reflects on the challenges and rewards of building long-term international partnerships for healthcare training and education.
We’re excited to announce the NHS Global Citizenship conference will be on…
— Scottish Global Health Co-ordination Unit (@ScottishGHCU) August 27, 2021
24th November 2021!
Save the date…registration link and details coming soon….https://t.co/6hKIVtQdnY#GlobalCitz21 pic.twitter.com/VbXpFyKx1O
NHS Global Citizenship Conference
This year’s NHS Global Citizenship Conference will take place on Wednesday 24th November 2021. The event will have an overall focus on better planetary health through global citizenship with an opportunity to reflect on climate change and quality improvement partnerships and how together these lead to action on inequalities.
It is open to all NHS staff and the wider global health community.
Spotlight on:
NHS Scotland Doing It Well Guide
The NHS Scotland Global Citizenship Doing it Well Guide provides advice and guidance for NHS Boards and staff about how to get involved in Global Citizenship. This includes advice on how we can help from home; and if volunteering overseas, what needs to be considered in terms of risk assessment, safeguarding and maximising the impact of our commitment; guiding staff towards building sustainable partnerships and relationships which deepen and strengthen with time.