Alma Mata Global Health Newsletter - January 2009

January 16, 2009 by emilyspry

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Dear Alma Mata Members, Many doctors in training in the UK are keen to spend time working in the developing world, to contribute in places where resources are scarce and to improve their own knowledge and skills, which they will later use in their NHS careers. The Government is in favour of this as part of the UK's contribution to global health.

Our Careers Day in December included Fred Martineau talking about the current situation for these doctors and advice on when to go and how to make a successful application for time out. You can see the presentation here.

Several sub-groups emerged at the Careers day with particular needs and challenges: - If you are a surgeon interested in global health, please email Fred Martineau who will put you in touch with some senior surgeons supportive of this. - Similarly, Paediatricians get in touch with Fred - the Royal College are very supportive.

We are developing a proposal on how doctors in training think post graduate global health training should look. If there are particular things that you think Alma Mata should be working on, or if there are things that you need (advice/support/contacts) please do just write to the list or to me. All the best, Emily

News The NHS is a multi million pound enterprise that buys equipment and supplies from all over the world. For example, in Pakistan, surgical instruments are made by children in appalling conditions and these end up being used in our hospitals. If the NHS managed to buy more ethical and fairtrade supplies, the impact could potentially be enormous. The BMA is asking members to get involved in its campaign calling for the NHS to buy ethical and fairtrade supplies. Interested doctors should sign up for further information by emailing fairtrade@bma.org.uk and join the Facebook group.

The NHS has launched a consultation on guidance developed to help NHS organisations develop policies to ensure they to buy ethical and fairtrade supplies, and to ensure they have been made in conditions that comply with health and safety laws, are fairly paid and do not use child labour. The more doctors that give individual responses to this consultation, the better. Drop an email to the BMA fairtrade address as above and they will send you an email with instructions - it's all simple and done online.

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