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Global Citizenship: launch of the new NHS e-learning module

Published: 4 November 2021

The International Health Co-ordinating Centre (IHCC), WHO Collaborating Centre on ‘Investment for Health and wellbeing’, Public Health Wales has announced the launch of the first Global Citizenship e-learning resource for the NHS.

This free online learning platform is aimed at health professionals and all in the NHS in Wales, interested in learning more about Global Citizenship (GC) what it means to our every day lives, understanding international perspectives and health professional’s experiences and how we can contribute, help with solutions and become more globally aware in and outside of work.

The resource has been created to encourage GC development and will enable NHS staff to:  

  • Learn about why there are inequalities in Wales and the world and their impact on health  
  • Take part in discussions on international health and development and other themes and topics  
  • Question viewpoints and perspectives  
  • Challenge stereotypes  
  • Learn about the social, economic, environmental, cultural and political impact of globalisation, especially on health and the NHS  
  • Explore their own values and how they impact on others  
  • Listen to, understand and respect different views  
  • Be reflective and develop critical thinking skills  
  • Understand the different ways of achieving global poverty reduction  
  • Develop and support their personal and professional development 

Split into six modules, a core and five ‘deep dives’ covering subjects such as aid and development, rights based health, globalisation, peace and conflict and climate change, this resource is easy to access on the NHS electronic learning platform Learning@Wales, interactive, colourful and easy to use and will be invaluable to all NHS professionals.

Liz Green, Consultant in Public Health, Policy and International Health, WHO Collaborating Centre at Public Health Wales said: 

 “Building a globally aware workforce will not only have benefits for those working within Public Health Wales and NHS Wales, it will have benefits for the wider population.” 

Dr Gillian Richardson, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Vaccines) who oversaw the project which began in 2018 said: 

“We live in an interconnected world where local health threats rapidly become global, and global threats have local impact, as we have seen with the Coronavirus pandemic, climate change, food and water security and essential medical and other supply chains. In 2017 Public Health Wales made a commitment to become an organisation which is nationally focused and globally responsible through a 10 year International Health Strategy. This resource co-produced with Oxfam Cymru and the Wales Centre for International Affairs is an expansion of this, for the whole of NHS Wales, building on the Welsh Government Framework ‘Health Within and Beyond Welsh Borders’ (2012)where developing NHS Wales professionals as global citizens was one of four key priorities.” 

Susie Ventris-Field, Chief Executive, Welsh Centre of International Affairs, said:  

“We’ve been delighted to collaborate on these modules – global citizenship is vital to achieving the Well-being goals, particularly the globally responsible Wales goal. Too often, opportunities to develop global citizenship understanding, skills and values are limited to young people – it’s fantastic for this lifelong learning opportunity to be made available to NHS staff across Wales.” 

The resource has been commissioned by Public Health Wales, in junction with the Welsh Centre for International Affairs and Oxfam Cymru and was launched on 4 November at the Wales and Africa Health Conference 2021. 

The modules can be accessed here:

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership Learning@Wales Global Citizenship