FRRHH 2022 - A Year in Review and Looking Ahead

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This year has witnessed the continuation of efforts to design a capability framework that will support the professional development of remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare. Simultaneously, we have been developing a robust and transparent process for the award of Membership and Fellowship post nominals to allow for the formal recognition of the skills sets and experience found across remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare. This work has been challenging and a number of our members have contributed generously to support our efforts, to which we wish to show our gratitude.

We were delighted to welcome back the Faculty’s first Chair of the Executive Committee, Dr Alistair Fraser, who joins the Faculty as Co-Chair of the Faculty Advisory Board alongside Sir Lewis Ritchie. The appointment of the Faculty Advisory Board (FAB) has been in the Faculty’s development and a highlight of 2022. This was a crucial step in the development of the Faculty’s governance and the FAB members have hit the ground running in their first year of service. This year, FAB members have provided valuable feedback and influence on the development of the Faculty’s professional development activities and have played a key role in guiding the Faculty Executive Committee in making final decisions of benefit to our membership. Learn more about our FAB members here.

The Faculty’s first educational offering, the online Introduction to Humanitarian Healthcare course has continued to receive very positive feedback. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a decision was made on the 18 March to remove the membership paywall for this online course, making it free for everyone. Since this date, over 800 individuals have accessed the course for free.

2022 has seen the completion of projects awarded funding from the first FRRHH Fellowship Fund awarded in 2021. The fund provided financial support for projects and activities that assisted individuals’ access and exposure to different healthcare systems and contexts that developed the knowledge, skill and experience required to work in remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare. The fund also supported those currently working within this rewarding field to further develop their career. A total of £29,935.88 was awarded to projects taking place in: Burundi, Kenya, Liberia, Nepal, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

The Faculty would like to formally thank Professor Aristomenis Exadaktylos, Chairman and Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Inselspital, University Hospital, for arranging a generous donation to further support the first FRRHH Fellowship Fund. Keep a look out for project updates from each recipient, coming soon. You can find out more about the projects here.

With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the Faculty has been able to further develop its footprint by attending various meetings and events at home and internationally. This has enabled the Faculty to forge new relationships with relevant stakeholders as well as reinforcing alignment with existing stakeholders. Attendance of face-to-face events has allowed for the engagement of our membership, providing useful insights into current challenges faced and best practice from across remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare. The Faculty has continued to utilise the opportunities presented by virtual meetings and events, allowing for a wider engagement of our community of best practice.

Welcoming Organisation Members

This year we welcomed a number of prestigious Organisation Members to our community of best practice, including the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), Medilink International, Fujifilm and Aspen Medical. We are delighted to welcome the diverse range of skills and experience that each of these organisations bring to our growing community of best practice. We look forward to being able to facilitate a growing network of like-minded individuals and organisations to support the development of remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare.

Your membership fees play a crucial role in supporting the operation of the Faculty, enabling us to continue to build the final foundations and deliver key services of benefit to our members.

Looking forward to 2023, we will publish the long-awaited Capabilities Framework and launch the second phase of the Faculty membership. This will allow for individuals to apply for the award of Membership or Fellowship post nominal awards. Individuals who meet the criteria will then be invited to become Members and Fellows of the Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare. We will invite applications in April 2023. The Faculty will retain its current membership structure for those who wish to join as Students, Trainees and Associates, this can be done online and does not require an application form to be submitted for assessment.

As a thank you to our loyal longstanding members, we will be offering a discount - on application fees for Member and Fellow post nominal assessment. More information will be shared in the new year. We endeavour to continue to support the professional development of remote, rural and humanitarian healthcare professionals across the globe.

 

 

Gill Mitchell

Faculty Development Manager

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