REPORT ON VISIT TO HEREFORD ON SEPTEMBER 2016 by Edgar Ngelangela
I applied for visit in 2016 for the following reason:
- To gain new palliative care knowledge and skills from St. Michaels hospice
- To gain new experiences and best practices of palliative care
- As Muheza Hospice Care Administrator I came to make presentations of Muheza hospice care activities, achievement and challenges to charity groups and individuals who have been donating to our hospice.
I am very grateful I and William Sombe, were able to travel on 16th of September 2016 after Dr. Karilyn, Dr. John Wood and Elly fought hard to enable us to get a Visa.
We reached at Birmingham on 17th September in the morning and Karilyn and Richard took us to their home at Bodenhem.
On 18th September I had to face the challenges of travelling alone to London city where I was to attend a short international palliative care course at St Christopher Hospice. I am happy the journey went very well I reached Sydenham- London safely where I met a lady called Mariam whose home I stayed at for the whole week of attending the course at St Christophers.
In the course at St Christopher Hospice, from 19th – 23rd September 2016 , we were 15 students from different countries, 3 from Africa, 3 from China, others from Canada, Portugal, Romania, Bermuda, Spain, and Britain. At the end of course we were awarded Certificates.
On 24th September 2016 I attended PCW Conference in Oxford, and got an opportunity to present what lesson I had learned in the APCA conference ( August 16 th – 19th in Kampala). In my presentation I thanked PCW for their bursary which enabled me and my fellow Africans to attend APCA Conference and I gave a brief run down on what I learned in the conference.
From 26th September – 28thOctober 2016 I was attached to St. Michael Hospice where I was able to work with family department, community nurses, ward doctors and nurses, fund raising and finance department also I was fully involved with activities such as hospice day, Saturday club and others.
Benefits I have acquired in Hereford visit
- New palliative care skills and knowledge
- Best practice in provision of palliative care
- Best ways of fundraising
- I got opportunity to have a talk with St. Michael Hospice CEO and asked him to establish an official link between Muheza hospice care and St. Michael Hospice
- I did presentations to Charities and Individuals about Hospice activities, achievement and the challenges we face.
- Personally I increased my confidence in making presentations
I would like to thank you all Hereford link Society member for their great support to us for the whole period we have been in the UK, and special thanks go to John Wood, Karilyn and Richard Collins and Elly Ecroyd for their tireless effort, enabling us to get visas after twice getting problems of a refusal.
Lastly I give special thanks to Mary Taylor and her Husband Stewart for giving us accommodation for the whole period in our stay in UK they have been very kind to us, may God bless them.
Warm Regards
Edgar D Ngelangela
Social worker & Ag Director MHC