Supporters / Medical Volunteers

This project has succeeded thanks to the efforts of many people contributing their different skills. Foremost amongst these were medical professionals in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK who fulfill vital voluntary surgical and training roles.

Medical Volunteers
The work and reputation of the project has inspired many senior level medics to volunteer and commit themselves to the IRPS overseas training programme for a number of years.

Plastic Surgeons
The IRPS can call on the services of 10 UK consultant plastic surgeons of varying specialties, most of whom are able to visit the project in Ghana annually. As well as assisting in more complex surgical cases, their role is primarily to teach, train and supervise Ghanaian doctors and enhance skill levels and abilities to UK levels.

Anaesthetists The IRPS can call on the services of 4 consultant anaesthetist volunteers. Again theirs is a training role, introducing new techniques in Ghana and funding Ghanaian anaesthetists on training visits to Scotland. Their impact on the project's development has been outstanding.

Therapists
3 senior physiotherapists specialising in post reconstructive surgery rehabilitation and 1 cleft SLT specialist have committed themselves to improving and developing long term therapy provision in the plastic surgery units in Ghana.

Nurse Volunteers
Senior theatre, ward and recovery nurses frequently accompany the visiting teams.

Visiting Teams
Fortune has smiled on the project in terms of committed top quality manpower and sufficient financial security to undertake a structured 5 tear overseas training programme. 5 teams of up to 6 medics now visit Ghana annually, either raising the money for their own expenses or being subsidised by the charity. The team provide skilled hands-on training in most types of reconstructive surgery and tie-in with Ghana's reconstructive surgery training curriculum.