Author: debzymiller

On Tuesday 5th July at 5.30 to 7.00pm

At the Audrey Emerton Building, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 0AE*

Everyone is welcome

Interested in a more global dimension to working in healthcare? Come and hear about the BLHL which connects health care professionals of all cadres working in hospitals,  and the medical, nursing and midwifery schools in Brighton and Lusaka. You will hear about a range of ongoing projects (Pharmacy and Neonatology) meet some of the people engaged in Link activities and have the opportunity to get more involved yourself!

Agenda

5.30 pm Welcome and meet the trustees (Mel and trustees)

5.45 pm Pharmacy: Title TBC (Anja St Clair-Jones)

6.05 pm  Neonatology: RISEinFAMILY: Implementing Family Integrated Care across continents (Heike Rabe) 

6.20 pm  Anaesthetics : Title TBC (Sophie Morris) 

6.35 pm  HIV/Sexual Health: Linking Brighton and Lusaka: The HIV and Sexual Health Experience (Jaime Vera)

6.50 pm  Final remarks, questions 

7.00 pm  Refreshments and informal discussion 

E: Trustees Chair m.j.newport@bsms.ac.uk P.A.: d.miller@bsms.ac.uk

*click to Join Zoom link : https://universityofsussex.zoom.us/j/94238834071?pwd=MWt1OTZBVXE1eFR6cUEvVGVWYnhsdz09

Meeting ID: 942 3883 4071 Passcode: 919217 for online participants

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week took place from 18-24 November. The 2021 theme of Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance called on stakeholders, policymakers, healthcare providers and the public to be antimicrobial resistance (AMR) awareness champions. On this theme, it was announced that David Banda from the Link has received a grant award from the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and the National Institute for Health Research for the proposal ‘Towards Zambia Point Prevalence Survey of Antimicrobial Consumption and Resistance’. This research will assess the prevalence and the quality of antimicrobial prescriptions across six hospitals in Zambia. BLHL was established in 2005 and is a partnership between University Hospitals Sussex, the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia and other allied institutions including the medical schools and schools of nursing and midwifery in both cities

https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/news/2020/11-19-new-born-babies-hospital-care-to-be-enhanced-by-new-research-project.aspx

Congratulations to the Brighton-Lusaka Pharmacy Link which has been shortlisted for a PHE Antibiotic Guardian award for the innovative work it is doing on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in a teaching hospital setting in Zambia. Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health threat and AMS – a systematic approach to antimicrobial prescribing which limits indiscriminate use of antibiotics thereby protecting their future usefulness – helps slow the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance when applied in combination with other measures such as infection control practices (e.g. hand-washing).

The project ‘Championing Pharmacists as Antibiotic Guardians in Zambia; the Brighton-Lusaka Pharmacy Link Initiative’ is a partnership between  University Teaching Hospital – Lusaka, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals, University of Zambia, University of Brighton and the University of Sussex led by Dr Jasmin Islam (BSMS), Dr Aubrey Kalungia (UNZA), Luke Alutuli (UTH) and Anja St. Clair Jones (BSUH).  It is funded by an award from the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative which is supported by the Department of Health and Social Care Fleming Fund, the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association and THET.  The Link has developed a coordinated AMS programme in Lusaka that includes monitoring prescribing practices in different clinical areas, working to coordinate infection control activities with AMS activities, supporting educational activities and developing leadership skills for pharmacists. The team also secured funding to train up all teaching hospital pharmacies in Zambia to make alcohol-based hand rub to help tackle COVID-19.  (https://commonwealthpharmacy.org/press-release-how-to-manufacture-alcohol-hand-rub-training-video-launched-to-support-covid-19-response/. This work was presented to a UK parliamentarian group in July and was highly commended.

Prof Mel Newport, Chair of the Brighton Lusaka Health Link, says ‘the Brighton Lusaka Health Link is going from strength to strength across a range of disciplines despite some of the constraints imposed by the coronavirus pandemic and the Pharmacy Link is one of our flagship projects. Being nominated for this award is well-deserved recognition for the pioneering work the pharmacists are doing on antimicrobial resistance which is a major global health concern.  I wish them lots of luck!’

The awards ceremony will be held as an online event on Thursday 26^th November 2020.