Wish and HMC host leadership training program for Qatari nurses as part of global initiative

Doha: The World Innovation for Health (WISH), an initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF), has held a training program designed to help Qatari nurses develop leadership competencies and to empower them with skills that will allow them to play a more dynamic role in Qatar’s expanding healthcare system.

Held within Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City and with the support of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the four-day training program was delivered by international and local experts in nursing, and formed part of the three-year global ‘Nursing Now’ program that aims to promote nursing and nurses.

Ms. Sultana Afdhal, CEO of WISH, and Dr. Nicola Ryley, Chief Nursing Officer, HMC, act as co-chairs of the Qatar chapter of Nursing Now, and opened the training program. Other key supporters of the Nursing Now Qatar program also took part in the program, including senior nursing representatives of the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Al-Ahli Hospital, the University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ), and Sidra Medicine – a member of QF.

Ms. Afdhal said: “At our most recent summit last November, nursing was selected as one of the main research topics. The WISH report on nursing noted that there was a massive shortfall in qualified nurses and midwives around the world, that nurses felt undervalued within healthcare systems, and that nurses had a significant role to play at the vanguard of efforts to deliver universal health coverage globally.

“Once our summits end, we work closely with partners both in Qatar and around the world to see where the learnings from WISH can be implemented and where policy recommendations can be promoted. We are always keen to support Qatar’s efforts to build capacity and demonstrate best practice in healthcare and appreciate the willingness of leaders within Qatar’s healthcare system to work with us. We are therefore delighted to have had the opportunity to develop a program designed to help Qatari nursing leaders enhance their leadership skills.”

Dr. Ryley explained how this initiative underpins national efforts to develop Qatari healthcare professionals and equip them with appropriate skills for leadership advancement.

“Our local nurse leaders are passionate about strengthening the national professional identity of nursing in Qatar, and have shown immense interest in developing their skills to contribute to raising nursing and midwifery standards of care,” she said. “This is a wonderful training program for the senior group of nurses and midwives, and our collective focus is now on being proactive and putting the learning into practice to benefit our patients.”

Training was delivered by Dr. Catherine Hannaway, Global Health Consultant, Nursing Now, and Professor Charlotte McArdle, Chief Nursing Officer for Northern Ireland. Local facilitators included Dr. Nabila Al-Meer, Deputy Chief of Continuing Care and Nursing Affairs, HMC; Ms. Maryam Al Mutawah, Executive Director of Nursing Rumailah Hospital, HMC; Dr. Steven Beaumont, Executive Director of Nursing, Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, HMC; and Dr. Deborah White, Dean of UCQ.

More than 40 nurses took part in workshops and other interactive activities that were chosen to help support a commitment by Qatar’s leadership to build vital capacity and sustainability across the healthcare sector. The various local partners of Nursing Now Qatar have pledged to work together to help identify areas where a unified approach to such issues as recruitment and personal development can be beneficial, and to highlight the role that nurses are playing in maintaining healthy populations.

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About the World Innovation Summit for Health
The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a global healthcare community dedicated to capturing and disseminating the best evidence-based ideas and practices. WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and is under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, its Chairperson.

The inaugural WISH Summit took place in Doha in 2013 and convened more than 1,000 global healthcare leaders. Through international summits and a range of ongoing initiatives, WISH is creating a global community of leading innovators in healthcare policy, research and industry.

Together, they are harnessing the power of innovation to overcome the world’s most urgent healthcare challenges and inspire other stakeholders to action.

Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, research and development, and community development.

QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development.

QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.

For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa 

For any media inquiries, please contact: pressoffice@qf.org.qa 

© Press Release 2019