Following a 3-day intense leadership and management workshop for health managers in Wakiso District held in June 2024 for the project titled: Enhancing leadership and management of local government health managers in Wakiso District, Uganda, a 6-month online fellowship for these managers was undertaken for continued mentorship. The health managers are in-charges of health centres (IVs, IIIs and IIs) in the district. The fellowship started on 18th July 2024 with an orientation session and introduction of the participants to the Zoom Meetings application, the main platform used for delivering the online engagements. These sessions were held every second Thursday of the month from 3:00pm to 4:30pm, as proposed by the managers. The sessions were facilitated by experts from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) and tackled critical topics suggested by the health managers during the orientation session. These topics included risk management, attendance management, data and information management, and finance management. The sessions were enriched by practical case studies and examples to ensure relevance and applicability to the managers’ working environments.
The session on risk management was facilitated by Mary Beckenham (Quality and Safety Lead) and Caroline Dale (Risk Manager) from NUH and covered the structure, cause and effect approach to risk description, risk score, risk control measures, importance of action plans in reducing and mitigating risks, recording, reporting and escalating risks.
Rosy Pearson and Conolly Brendan, People Business Partners at NUH facilitated the session on attendance management which covered areas such as the absence flowchart, managers’ and employees’ responsibilities in attendance management, types of absence, returning to work and attendance review meetings. This session was attended by Ms. Bonny Natukunda, the Wakiso District Senior Health Educator who thanked the health managers for creating time to attend the mentorship sessions and urged them not to stop at only listening in but should show output and impact at the end of the fellowship in order to improve health service delivery in the district.
Mike Christopher, an experienced digital and informatics professional at NUH facilitated the session on data and information management which covered areas on the use of data in healthcare, examples of good information, good data vs bad data, and practical strategies to improve data quality and usage. Mr. Frank Kakande, the Wakiso District Biostatistician, was in attendance of this session and thanked the facilitator for the insightful presentation which tackled the critical areas essential for using data for decision making by health managers at their facilities.
The session on finance management was facilitated by Penny Kemp (Finance Manager) and Sarah Stephenson (Finance Business Partner) from NUH and covered topics on why finance is important, reducing the financial gap, financial controls, breakdown of Trust Revenue Budgets, cash management and treasury controls. This session was attended by Mr. Michael Sekandi, a Finance Officer from Wakiso District Local Government who thanked the facilitators for sharing their experience with the health managers and expected them to use it to change the way finances are managed at the health facilities.
The last session involved a recap and evaluation of the previous sessions. This was attended by Dr. Emmanuel Mukisa, the Wakiso District Health Officer. He applauded MakSPH for deciding to implement the project in Wakiso District as leadership and management aspects were a big challenge in the district. He emphasized that he is aware of the work MakSPH is doing to improve health service delivery in Wakiso District and promised his continuous support. He closed the fellowship by thanking the funders and partners who made the programme a success.
The officers who provided the support included Dr. Mathias Lugoloobi (Wakiso Health Centre IV), Dr. Geoffrey Kisuze (Ndejje Health Centre IV), Dr. Dominic Kizza (Buwambo Health Centre IV), Ms. Racheal Nakato (Wakiso District Human Resource Officer) and Ms. Bonny Natukunda (Wakiso District Senior Health Educator).
During the facility visits, positive testimonies and improvements regarding leadership and management were recorded from the health managers. These testimonies included enrolling for leadership and management short courses as a form of continuous professional development, improved staff attendance, reduced conflicts at the facility, increased number of patients visiting the facility, and improved management of facility supplies and logistics.
Ms. Betty Namata, the in-charge for Wakiso Kasozi Health Centre III reported that the workshop inspired her to enroll for a diploma in leadership and management and she always encouraged her midwives to enroll for continuous professional development programmes. In addition, Ms. Betty Nzirambi, the in-charge for Nabutiti Health Centre III confessed that she used not to consider the aspect of gender, equity and social inclusion (GESI) in her work but since it was introduced at the workshop organized by the project, she started taking it serious at the facility by addressing discrimination of patients and staff, as well as listening to everyone regardless of their gender or status.
Prof. Linda Gibson, the UK project lead at Nottingham Trent University thanked the NUH volunteers led by Richard Holder and Russell Pitchford for facilitating the online sessions. She also appreciated the various local partners for their support towards the project including the Wakiso District Health Office and Ministry of Health. Dr. David Musoke, the Uganda project lead at Makerere University School of Public Health appreciated NHS England and Global Health Partnerships for funding the project that had an impact on the health managers. ‘I am pleased that we have successfully completed the intense implementation phase of this project on leadership and management among the health managers in Wakiso District. The testimonies we have heard from the managers is evidence that the fellowship has had an impact on their skills and practices at the facilities.’ said Dr. Musoke.
This project is implemented by the partnership between Nottingham Trent University and Makerere University School of Public Health, in collaboration with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Wakiso District Local Government, with support from the Ministry of Health. The project is funded by NHS England, for the benefit of the UK and partner country health sectors. The Global Capacity Building Programme, through which this project is implemented, is supported by Global Health Partnerships – GHP (formerly Tropical Health and Education Trust - THET).
Compiled by: Allan Ssembuusi – Project Coordinator
