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5 October 2004
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal will today (Tuesday 5 October 2004) officially launch Glasgow Caledonian Universitys leading role in World Health Organization (WHO) initiatives for nursing and midwifery development.
She will attend an event to celebrate the start of the tenure of the universitys School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health as the Secretariat of the WHO Global Network of Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery.
HRH The Princess Royal will speak to an assembled audience of over 200 national and international delegates on the work of the Global Network and specific projects being carried out by Glasgow Caledonian University.
She will also meet staff and students in the universitys state-of-the-art Clinical Simulation Laboratory, where students learn in a virtual hospital setting.
Prestigious honour for university
The Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery is made up of just 36 centres across the world, and the university is one of just two in the UK. The network is involved in promoting health for all through initiatives aimed at improving nursing and midwifery care and development, as well as influencing policy.
The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health became part of the Global Network in 1993, and is currently working on a number of projects in areas including Kosovo and Tajikistan, to support nursing development and increase good practice and better education for primary health care.
The school has taken over the Secretariat of the global network from George Mason University in the USA. For the next four years its role will be to guide the implementation of a global action plan for collaboration on practice development, education and research.
The school already works closely with the other WHO approved centres based in universities, research institutions and professional associations worldwide, and will develop these relationships further during its tenure as Secretariat.
The Princess Royal will hear about the work from Professor Barbara Parfitt, Dean of the Universitys School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health, who will also act as Secretary General of the Global Network for the next four years.
Nurses' importance in health care highlighted
Professor Parfitt hopes to use the universitys new role to encourage nurses and midwives to see themselves as part of a global professional body.
Professor Parfitt, who will represent the network in influential global health forums, recently participated in the WHO global forum of government chief nurses. She will also continue to be involved in the Global Advisory Group that advises the WHO on nursing and midwifery issues.
She said: We are delighted to host this initiative at Glasgow Caledonian University. We dont live on an isolated island and we are all affected by the global health agenda, including migration, overseas recruitment and international health threats.
British nurses and midwives can be empowered by recognising that the daily work of those in their professions worldwide, has greater long-term effects on the health and well-being of individuals and societies than any other health service activity. HRH The Princess Royals presence demonstrates the real importance of this event and that it is valued at the highest level.
Dr Ian Johnston, Principal of Glasgow Caledonian University, added:
This achievement proves that nursing education at Glasgow Caledonian University has world-wide respect. It is a great opportunity to contribute to raising global nursing and midwifery standards by sharing our experience.
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