RIYADH: A high-level UK health care delegation of clinicians from the UK is visiting Saudi Arabia from Oct. 8-9.
Headed by Lord Darzi of Denham, a professor and surgeon and the UK's business ambassador for health care, the visit has been organized in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health and UK Trade & Investment.
It follows up on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Health Minister Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and his UK counterpart, Andrew Lansley, secretary of state for health in April 2011, setting out a framework for bilateral health care cooperation.
The visit comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is embarking on an extensive program of health care reform and development.
The delegation will present a range of UK expertise from some of the UK's leading health care institutions, including Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, King's College Hospital, University College London Hospitals, Moorfields Eye Hospital, and the Christie and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trusts, which are offering partnerships to the Kingdom.
It is hoped that this visit will help identify further areas for collaboration and exchanges of experience between the Kingdom and the UK.
The UK offers more than 60 years of experience of running the world's largest integrated national health system offering unrivaled expertise in meeting the complex health care demands of a dynamic population, and is keen to work with Saudi Arabia to implement its vision.
Lord Darzi said the delegates represent the best of what British health care has to offer -- unrivaled clinical expertise combined with an understanding of what makes a health system work.
"We sincerely hope that our visit will see the start of some meaningful partnerships through which we can share knowledge and experience to our mutual benefit."
This visit will be followed up by a visit in December from the Minister of State for Health, Simon Burns, who will head up a group of UK companies specialized in health care.
© Arab News 2011
