Experiencing the impact of positive work

posted by admin on Tue, 06/20/2023 - 23:13
Portrait of Helen

Experiencing the impact of positive work

By Dr Helen Watson, Director of Allied Health Professionals, Cambridge University Hospitals

I am the Director of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) and am proud to have been a dietitian for 30 years. My clinical experience focused mainly on Intensive care and Adult Cystic Fibrosis. I was the AHP lead at Royal Papworth Hospital before moving 4 years ago to my post here at CUH.

I am passionate about working in partnership to support global health by facilitating the flow of ideas and supporting best practice. I value the importance of shared learning, specialist expertise and encouraging sustainable change.

I really enjoy the work I have undertaken with Cambridge Global Health Partnerships and the RAMA foundation since 2019 and am excited we are planning a visit to India this summer with AHP colleagues. We are visiting Rishikesh in North East India in the foothills of the Himalayas with a team of 3 Dietitians and a Physiotherapist.

I am keen personally and for our teams to have the opportunity to become more involved in global healthcare and I value the vital role such organisations play in ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages. We are so fortunate in the UK to benefit from advanced healthcare free at the point of delivery and fully appreciate so many people around the world do not have access to safe, timely, affordable care.

I am excited about our trip and am busy planning the logistics. I have a family holiday the week before and leave for India the same day I return from Spain! I really look forward to working to form a partnership with the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, a large, socially orientated, multi-speciality, teaching hospital, we have identified as a credible, local partner to help us scale up our efforts and positive impact.

The aims of the trip for me personally are to experience the impact of the positive work the RAMA foundation undertakes and explore the potential for other AHP professions to join the teams in future years and provide continued exchange of learning.