PHM-Exch> Report launched by UK Parliamentary Global Health group on human resources for health

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: JOHNSON, Oliver <johnsono at parliament.uk>


The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health and the Africa All-Party
Parliamentary Group in the UK Parliament launched a report yesterday on the
roles of health workers.

All the Talents - How new roles and better teamwork can release potential
and improve health services


Download the Executive Summary and Full Report at
www.appg-globalhealth.org.uk<http://www.appg-globalhealth.org.uk/>


This Report by leading Parliamentarians, including Lord Nigel Crisp, argues
that countries which are struggling to deliver ambitious health plans - the
Millennium Development Goals in Africa or NHS plans in the UK – won’t
succeed without being much more radical about how they develop the roles
and nurture the talents of all their health workers.

All The Talents was launched in the Houses of Parliament by Lord Crisp and
Meg Hillier MP, with speeches from Dorothy Ngoma (National Coordinator for
Safe Motherhood in Malawi), Carolyn Miller (Chief Executive of Merlin UK)
and Dr Peter Carter (General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing).

It describes examples from around the world where nurses have successfully
taken on tasks previously done by doctors – prescribing in the UK and
caesareans and cataract operations in parts of Africa - whilst nursing
assistants and community workers have carried out some simple procedures
and offered advice and support to patients.

It also shows why they have been successful – the success factors – and
describes why others have failed. There are risks: if these changes are
planned and managed badly they can lead to poor quality and unsafe
services. Done well, they can improve access to services, improve quality
and reduce costs.

This is a global issue which applies to rich and poor countries, which can
all learn from each other. The report urges health professionals to lead
the changes and Governments around the world to create the environment
which will enable this to happen.

“We know what works. We know that extending roles and developing skills
this way - when done well – can have an enormous beneficial impact on the
 quality and costs of services. We need to think boldly, break down some of
the traditional barriers and free people up to make the greatest
contribution they can.”
Lord Nigel Crisp, Former NHS Chief Executive and Chair of the inquiry

“All the Talents demonstrates that innovative approaches to job training
and enhancing skills mix could significantly improve quality and access to
health services.”
Dr Mubashar Sheikh, Executive Director of the Global Health Workforce
Alliance
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