Advice and Support
Advice and support
CGHP provides a support and advice service available to NHS staff and students interested in global health work and volunteering. This includes providing advice, signposting and networking to enable safe, effective and ethical international work. CUH staff receive information on the Voluntary Release Scheme and are provided with advice on applying for volunteer release and other leave available to CUH staff for the purposes of working and / or volunteering internationally through CGHP.
Individuals are required to complete and return a CGHP Expression of Interest form and with consent their details are added to the CGHP database. Individuals are invited to attend CGHP preparation and briefing meetings, workshops and other events. They are encouraged to keep in touch with CGHP and meet with the CGHP team on return from their international placement.
Advice, support and financing
CGHP provides all Tier 1 support and advice and additionally provides financial support via the CGHP grant scheme.
The scheme has two components:
The Grant Scheme aims to enable staff who want to undertake work abroad by providing funding up to £500 per individual.
The Student Bursary Scheme provides bursaries of between £500 – £1,000 to Cambridge University medical students and other healthcare students connected to CGHP partner NHS Trusts who are undertaking their electives within CGHP Health Partnerships.
Staff and students apply to the CGHP Grant Scheme via an application process which is then received and reviewed by the CGHP Committee finance sub-group who meet (including via email) quarterly.
All individuals at Tier 2 are required to attend a pre-departure briefing meeting with CGHP, and are invited to other CGHP meetings, workshops and events. They are required to submit a report to CGHP within one month of return from their international placement and to complete the CGHP Personal and Professional Development Questionnaire.
Advice, support, financing and additional governance
Staff at Tier 3 are staff of CGHP partner NHS Trusts and have approached CGHP for support to undertake an international placement independently and not with any other international organisation. Individuals at Tier 3 receive all Tiers 1 & 2 support and advice and are subject to all requirements of Tiers 1 and 2. They are eligible to apply to the CGHP grant scheme if by separate agreement CGHP is not covering some of their expenses. Individuals receive a CGHP Volunteer Handbook and sign an agreement form with CGHP that includes agreement to abide with all CGHP policies. Individuals at Tier 3 are required to attend pre-departure and return briefing sessions.
CGHP Health Partnership
Staff at Tier 4 are involved in a CGHP Health Partnership. Individuals at Tier 4 receive all Tiers 1 and 2 support and advice and are subject to all requirements of Tiers 1 and 2. Additionally, full or part costs of international travel and in-country accommodation is covered by CGHP. Individuals receive a CGHP Volunteer Handbook and sign an agreement form with CGHP that includes agreement to abide with all CGHP policies. Individuals at Tier 4 are required to attend pre-departure and return briefing sessions, and to attend health partnership coordination meetings.