The Global Health Workforce: Pathways to HealthSymposium and Learning Event

co-hosted by the School of Nursing and Human Sciences, DCU and the Irish Forum for Global Health, with the RCSI

20 October 2011

In association with

Overall initiative• The Irish Forum for Global Health (IFGH) is working with

interested partners to bring together and grow the knowledge that exists in Irish institutions and NGOs on health workforce actions and responses, focusing on those that impact on health in low income countries.

• Together with the School of Nursing and Human Sciences, DCU, RCSI and in collaboration with Irish Aid, the IFGH initiated a learning initiative, involving co-hosting two events – Symposium and learning event 20 October 2011 DCU– International Conference 2-3 February 2012 RCSI

Organising Committee

• David Weakliam (HSE, Chair IFGH), Anne Matthews (DCU), Ruairi Brugha (RCSI), Nadine Ferris France (IFGH), Diarmuid McClean (Irish Aid), Eilish McAuliffe (TCD), Enida Friel (OXFAM), Nuha Ibrahim (Global health PhD Student TCD), Elaine Byrne (RCSI), Noel Murphy (NUIM)

• With the assistance of – Meghan O’Reilly, an Intern with IFGH, – Siobhan Doherty, DCU

• Thanks to all involved in advance

Purpose of today’s gathering

• To bring together people from Irish institutions and NGOs working on the theme of Human Resources for Health (HRH), as it impacts on resource-poor countries.

• To find out about and consolidate the breadth of work that is being undertaken by Irish stakeholders in this area – including research and practice – so as to share lessons learned and generate new knowledge

• To make connections and agree ways of working collectively

Process to date

• Open call for submission of summaries of work in the area

• These have been compiled and grouped by themes (based on topics of submissions)

• Presented as a working document for today• Those who could not participate today will remain

involved in the process• Discussions about key questions within themes,

current strengths, how to build on them• Next steps- to be decided today and following today

Themes for today

1. Community responses 2. Education, training and North-South

partnerships 3. Health worker retention, motivation and

management strategies 4. Ethical recruitment and migration of health

workers

Outline of today

• Overviews of submissions by themes presented by members of the organising committee

• Themes 1 and 2 in the morning- followed by discussion groups

• Themes 3 and 4 in the afternoon- followed by discussion groups– Breakout discussions will take place in H206 and H306

(2nd and 3rd floor)– Themes 1 and 3: H206– Themes 2 and 4: H306

Considerations

• We tried to reach people but will not have reached everyone and this is the start

• There was understandable uncertainty about the nature of submissions requested and the process for today, as this was evolving and was a ‘toe in the water’ approach

• Short time frame for deeper reflection on the work summarised, can build on that today

New directions in our work together

• We are from different sorts of institutions, have different backgrounds and experiences and that is our strength

• That may bring challenges and uncertainties• To conclude:

“Uncertainty then is part of the price to be paid for being interested in the many-sidedness of human needs and behaviour.. that brings us closer to reality than is possible for those who have faith in the absolute of in the pursuit of specialization…”

(Richard Titmuss 1951)