Mercy Ships
Overall goals
Providing free surgery to those without hope of paying for treatment. Speciaties covered are Maxillo-facial surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, dentistry, obstetric fistula surgery and general surgery.
Key UK Colleagues and Partners
NHS Fife, Mercy Ships.
International Partners
N/A
Sustainable development goals
- SDG 3 - Good health and well-being
- SDG 5 - Gender equality
- SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth
- SDG 10 - Reduced inequalities
Funding source
Self funded
Project origin
Heard about them from a colleague.
Evidence of need
The countries Mercy Ships works in are some of the poorest in the world and patients with deforming conditions receive no free healthcare and are usually too poor to pay for it. Also the operations they need are usual not available in their countries.
Project areas
Anaesthetics
Project activities
Two week placement
Changes
Changes to individual patients’ lives and building more sustainable services in those countries (the organisation usually does health education and sometimes builds clinics while the ship is in a particular country).
Next steps
Am going back next year to work in Guinea on the ship.
Challenges
N/A
Mitigating challenges
Had to take annual leave when it is really very hard work and I felt that it would be good if the hospital would allow special leave or at least perhaps work out cover for my lists while I am away as a contribution to the charity work I feel that I need my holidays and that the NHS should support this work by allowing some time for professionals to do it without always taking annual leave.
Project gains
- leadership
- teamwork
- clinical
- awareness
- academic
- patient
- resilience