International Development, Global Health & The RCN Welcome & Introduction

Kath McCourt

Committee members

Cecilia Anim Kath McCourt CBE FRCN, Chair Paula Hancock, Vice Chair Andrew Clarke

Committee members

Alan Finnegan Monika Kosińska Judith Malan Andrea Spyropolous Rachel Trencher

International Purpose

 Represent interests of and strengthen status of nursing profession internationally  Enhance patient care by improving professional policy and practice internationally  Improve the health of communities internationally by working with nursing organisations to better shape health policies.

Outside the ZUNO offices in Kabwe

Global Health Advocacy

Human Resources for Health

Judith Malan

HISTORY

 Development of nursing and resulting migration  International recognition  Brain drain (Push and pull factors)  Improving Health Care  Aging populations

Future actions

 Highlight importance of human resources for health within the post 2015 international development agenda  Build networks with others, and develop as post 2015 development framework emerges.

 Nursing press awareness

Sustainability and Development

 Migration will always be a feature of health provision, and does have an impact on global scale.

 Global shortage of nurses will fuel the need.

 Supporting strategies and developing practises to improve retention and reduce migration can improve situation, but won’t eradicate need for migration.

Conclusion

 Global workforce planning and development is the most proactive and sustainable way to ensure that healthcare can be delivered everywhere.  Lessons can be learned from all parts of the globe, but requires strong networks and regular dialogue to ensure that learning is embraced and applied.

Zambia partnership

Andrew Clarke

What we’re doing

Developing a partnership with the Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation (ZUNO) Strengthening ZUNO as a national nursing association to promote good practice (eg theatre nursing)

This is Zambia

Why Zambia and ZUNO?

International Committee recommended a National Nursing Association (NNA) partnership Understanding the role of the RCN • What’s appropriate?

• What’s not?

Who to work with?

• Looked at counties struggling to meet Millennium Development Goals • Matched against criteria – language, stability, governance • Interested and able to engage and collaborate

Actions so far

Exploring needs – visiting ZUNO in Zambia Understanding existing capacity and style Understanding the context and opportunities to support strengthen the functioning of ZUNO as a NNA Theatre nursing identified as an area where together we could make a difference Proxy for strengthening ZUNO’s capacity to be more effective

Why look at theatre nursing?

• Zambia won’t achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 & 5...

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Safer surgery can contribute to that and is a national issue

• Trained theatre nurses have good skills...

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But they don’t always use them

• ZUNO has a theatre nurse interest group...

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But has not had the capacity to help them develop

• Nurses have low status and low power...

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But they are the biggest group of health care professionals

• Nurses are crucial to improving health outcomes...

•

But need support to mobilise and realise their potential to influence and effect change

Next steps

Agree a memorandum of understanding Develop a pilot project - with clear roles for both partners and realistic Outcomes and Indicators to track progress The pilot will have two strands of work: • Supporting ZUNO capacity to mobilise nurses, support the improvement of clinical standards and patient safety, and influence national and local policy, • Leadership and influencing skills of theatre nurses to enable adherence to national minimum theatre nursing standards

Banjeleleko!

Thanks for listening

Facilitating International Engagement through Volunteering

Paula Hancock

Members volunteer in many ways.....

 Through employer co-ordinated health partnerships  Working with NGO’s  Through Diaspora  Professional, community or faith groups  Independently

RCN - committed to developing nursing internationally

RCN – supporting members through....

 Providing advice to those seeking to work or volunteer outside the UK  International volunteering events  Managing a virtual international humanitarian community  Working in partnership with VSO, THET and other international partners

The International Nurse of the Year 2013 - Cerdic Hall

Barriers to international volunteering

 Lack of funding  Securing volunteers pension  Back filling key staff posts  Demonstrating benefits to employers  Security for volunteers  Training and preparation for the work  Preparation and assimilation on return to UK

RCN working with other stakeholders

 Member of NHS Overseas Volunteering Working Group which brings together government, employers, professional groups, volunteering NGO’s  Member of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges International Forum: joint “Volunteering Statement”  Invited to submit information to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health Inquiry on Volunteering

Issues to be addressed....

 There is a need for – Consistency for giving time out for volunteers – Formal recognition of volunteering and tools to facilitate this – Collaboration and co-ordination of volunteering – Monitoring, evaluation and research of volunteering activities – Information, training and support of volunteers – additional expenditures and loss of employment entitlements for volunteers to be addressed

Finally....the RCN is committed to

 Promoting international volunteering  Supporting its members who want to work outside the UK  Uphold it’s Royal Charter and meet its Strategic intensions

Q&A