The Logie Legacy ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL, ZAMBIA TWINNING PARTNERSHIP WITH NHS BORDERS [SCIO]

Overall goals

1. To support the formally established twinning partnership with NHS Borders to achieve improvements in education, service delivery and patient experience at St Francis Hospital, Zambia
2. To promote the value of voluntary engagement in global health for NHS Borders staff and partners in bringing knowledge, skills and ideas back to the UK
3. To raise income and monitor expenditure in the support of the above

Achieved: This is an on-going partnership committed to the long-term support of St Francis Hospital. Projects, past and present, are reflected on to strengthen future engagement.

Key UK Colleagues and Partners

We are a OSCR regulated Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) with an NHS Borders membership and wider supporters.

International Partners

St Francis Hospital, Zambia
Began in 1991. Formal twinning established 2008. ‘The Logie Legacy’ charity registered 2017.

Sustainable development goals

• SDG 3 - Good health and well-being
• SDG 4 - Quality education

Funding source

Fundraising – events
Private donations
Grants

Project origin

This is a long standing link with its origin in one of our retired consultants going to St Francis Hospital in 1991 to volunteer services. It has grown since then with many more staff becoming involved across different departments. St Francis Hospital is the largest 2nd level hospital in Zambia and faces many resource challenges and management there have invited us to partner with them on a number of initiatives.

Evidence of need

This is a long standing link with its origin in one of our retired consultants going to St Francis Hospital in 1991 to volunteer services. It has grown since then with many more staff becoming involved across different departments. St Francis Hospital is the largest 2nd level hospital in Zambia and faces many resource challenges and management there have invited us to partner with them on a number of initiatives.

Project areas

Healthcare worker and volunteer education/training; Service improvements

Project activities

sexual health – improve testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections
pharmacy – stock control software and laptops
radiology – provide equipment and training
maternity – life saving skills course and training the trainers
ophthalmology – spectacle provision
visits and service commitments from junior doctors, GPs, paediatricians, and numerous medical students
chaplaincy – books and PA equipment
tuberculosis control – bicycles for community volunteers, building improvements
public health – improve water and sanitation to the hospital and compound.
IT – improving IT systems, distance IT Support, improving access to the Internet
physiotherapy – working in collaboration with Physionet

Changes

Improvements in medical education, service delivery and patient experience
Provide opportunities for NHS staff and partners through voluntary engagement in global health to bring knowledge, skills and ideas back to the UK

Next steps

We are committed to exploring the following:
1. ‘Water For Life’ phase 3
2. Sanitation project
3. Infection Prevention and Control Quality Improvement
4. Nursing Training School Capacity Development
5. Governance/Hospital Systems improvement including master planning
6. Establishing a St Francis Hospital partners forum
Will require some ambitious fund raising and attracting the right people to take plans forward. The need to develop stronger links with others across Scotland, UK, Europe and Zambia will help to achieve this.

Challenges

Yes. We believe our partnership has taught us a great deal about how to achieve sustainable developments. We have had many successes and some failures. All contribute to the bigger picture of how best to future proof our engagement with the global health agenda. We have much still to learn but are very happy to share our journey with others.

Mitigating challenges

The THET framework has been very influential for us and their principles of engagement are built into our constitution.
Helpful supports - Zambia United Kingdom Health Workforce Alliance (ZUKHWA); Global Health Collaborative; BMA grant funding

Partnership principles

• strategic
• harmonised
• effective
• respectful
• organised
• responsible
• flexible

Project gains

• leadership
• teamwork
• clinical
• awareness
• patient
• resilience