WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE GLOBAL HEALTH

"Links allow NHS staff to contribute to the improvement of healthcare worldwide, whilst continuing to serve their own communities. Links motivate staff, enlarge their experience, sharpen their skills and thus help to retain them within each country's National Health Service: the benefits are clearly felt by both English and overseas partners." Lord Crisp, Former Chief Executive of the NHS, England

Addenbrooke’s Abroad works to build partnerships (Links) with hospitals and health organisations in resource-poor countries and to promote mutual learning between Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) and our overseas partners.

Our work provides opportunities for establishing new and innovative partnerships with local and international organisations including:

Medical Support in Romania
The Humanitarian Centre
The International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Operation Smile
Aid to Hospitals Worldwide – CUH donates used medical equipment that is recycled for re-use via this partnership – www.a2hw.org.uk

Staff and students from Cambridge University Hospitals have volunteered in over 25 countries around the world.

Building links

To achieve our aim we encourage, train and support staff from Cambridge University Hospitals to become Link volunteers who help create sustainable changes in global health. To date, volunteers have helped us establish Link programmes with The Princess Marina Hospital, Botswana and the National Maternity Hospital, El Salvador.

"When there is a lack of resources there is often a late pathology with the diagnosis – almost every case is extreme. This is what I find really fascinating – we never see such severe cases from minor illnesses in the UK, they would have been treated months before." Lesley Wood, Perioperative Care Nurse Consultant, CUH

Read about Lesley's experience volunteering in Nepal here.

Collaborating for mutual learning

Addenbrooke’s Abroad aims to encourage mutual learning between CUH and healthcare services overseas – whether or not there is an established Link programme. Establishing new and innovative partnerships with organisations abroad and in the UK provides opportunities for sharing skills and establishing long term relationships.