Collaboration between HEE NE and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT)
NHFT established the charity ‘Bright Northumbria ‘in 1999, and since then has supported a groundbreaking project working in partnership with Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in northern Tanzania. https://www.northumbria.nhs.uk/get-involved/international-links-new/international-expertise/our-experience
During this time, teams from NHFT have volunteered their time to travel to Tanzania to work alongside their African counterparts, enabling them to provide a vastly improved medical environment for patients in their country. Initially that training focused on physiotherapy, occupational therapy, clinical coding and wound management but the level of support offered by the Trust has expanded to include other initiatives such as a large Burns project. Using funding raised by the local community surgeons have developed a laparoscopic service at KCMC, the first of its kind in Tanzania. In 2014 this innovative project was awarded the Karen Woo Surgical Team of the Year by the British Medical Journal.
Adjacent to the hospital, there is a school of Nursing, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College and the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College which trains health professionals of all disciplines.
Building on the relationships already in place, HEE’s north east office has built formal links with Tanzania. The aim of the project is to offer trainees in our region a short term experience at KCMC allowing teaching, clinical exposure, management and leadership experience and ultimately an opportunity to build the trainee’s resilience.
We will provide further information on re-establishing the programme as soon as it becomes availbale.