Communiqué de presse   Project: London - taking healthcare to the streets

Wednesday 11 January 2006

The medical humanitarian organisation, Médecins du Monde UK (MdM UK - also known as Doctors of the World UK), is launching its first healthcare project in east London on Monday 16 January 2006. It will be called Project: London.

First and foremost, Project: London is an advocacy project that will provide information, advice and practical assistance to vulnerable people to help them access NHS and other services. Project: London volunteer teams will provide basic healthcare in the interim period, until these people reach mainstream services. The project is a partnership between Médecins du Monde UK and three established, local organisations that provide complementary services for some of the vulnerable people who need help to access healthcare.

Médecins du Monde was set up in 1980. The international network has 16 delegations and representative bureaux in the Americas, Europe and Asia running 174 projects in 51 countries with over 1,000 volunteers in the field worldwide. Médecins du Monde began providing healthcare to vulnerable people in Europe 20 years ago when doctors and nurses returning to France from volunteering overseas realised that some people in their own country had great difficulties accessing healthcare. The MdM European network now runs health projects in eight countries: Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. MdM UK will be the ninth.

Karen McColl, Director of MdM UK says: "Given that our European colleagues have found that there are vulnerable people who cannot access healthcare, MdM UK started a needs assessment in 2003 to explore these issues in the UK. It became clear that there are vulnerable groups here who need some help in reaching health services. Many initiatives already exist, from both within the NHS and other voluntary organisations, to address these issues. MdM UK wants to support these efforts, while drawing on the experience of Médecins du Monde's European network."

She continues: "So, our new project aims to help vulnerable people in London to access the health services that they need. Project: London will speak out about the situations of these vulnerable people and, with our partners, will advocate on their behalf."

Project: London's teams consist of GPs, nurses and support workers who want to volunteer their spare time to make this happen. These volunteers, many of whom work for the NHS already, have committed to do one four-hour shift every fortnight. Project: London will be located on the premises of our three partner organisations. Project: London's first clinics will launch on the premises of Praxis, which is an organisation committed to advancing human rights and social justice of displaced people. Project: London's clinics with the other two partner organisations - who work with homeless people and vulnerable women working in prostitution - will start later in 2006.

"We welcome the launch of Project: London", says Sheila Adam, Director of Public Health at North East London Strategic Health Authority. "In the 20 years since the opening of its first health project in France, Médecins du Monde has developed specialist expertise in working with vulnerable people across Europe. This expertise complements the work of the NHS and its partner organisations across London in ensuring that local people receive timely care and treatment responsive to their particular needs."

Karen McColl adds: "We recognise all that is being done by the NHS to help vulnerable groups access healthcare, and we are happy to have received support from the NHS throughout this process of setting up Project: London."

…/ more follows

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, says: "We know that despite continued efforts by the NHS and partner organisations to improve health services, many vulnerable Londoners continue to find it difficult to access healthcare, especially GP and other primary care services. Therefore, it is good to see an initiative like Project: London being launched, as it should improve access to healthcare and provide communities with a stronger voice within the healthcare system. I am encouraged by Médecins du Monde's commitment to working with the NHS and other organisations to plan and deliver improved health services in London and wish the project every success."

Médecins du Monde UK will publish an Annual Report of Project: London's findings based on information collected by volunteers and testimonies from service users in early 2007. It will also release results of a European enquiry into the difficulty of access to healthcare in six European countries. These documents will be used as a basis to advocate for vulnerable people to get the medical care that they need.

ENDS

Press contact for Médecins du Monde UK: Michelle Hawkins

michelle.hawkins@medecinsdumonde.org.uk or 00 44 (0)20 7516 9103 / 00 44 (0)7903 247 753

Notes to Editors:

1. Médecins du Monde UK is registered with The Healthcare Commission as an independent healthcare provider. Certificate number: E010000456. Service number: 0000061334.

2. Médecins du Monde UK was registered as charity in England & Wales in January 1998. Registered Charity No 1067406.

3. Project: London's partner organisations are:

1. 1. Praxis, which works with displaced people

www.praxis.org.uk T: 020 7729 7985

Spokesperson: Vaughan Jones, Director

1. 1. Providence Row, which works with homeless people

www.providencerow.org.uk T: 020 7283 1950

Spokesperson: Steven Lee-Foster, Chief Executive Officer

1. 1. U-Turn, which works with vulnerable women involved in prostitution

www.uturnproject.co.uk T: 020 8983 1553

Spokesperson: Rio Vella, Director

4. The first phase of Project: London will take place at Praxis, Pott Street, London E2 0EF. Hours of Project: London's clinics are Mondays & Wednesdays, 1.00pm to 5.00pm. Clinics are open to people not registered with a GP. No appointments necessary. Seen on a first come, first served basis.

5. Photos taken at Project: London's pilot sessions in December 2005 are available from:

www.andrewaitchison.com/galleries/mdmpl/index.htm

Logos for Médecins du Monde and Project: London are also downloadable from this site.

6. Visit www.medecinsdumonde.org.uk for more information about MdM UK.

7. Address: Médecins du Monde UK, 34th Floor, One Canada Square, London E14 5AA

8. Médecins du Monde UK'S Trustees are: Dr David Barnes, Dr Laurence Bioteau, Janice Hughes, Robert Lion, Dr Sarah Pickworth, Roo Rogers and Lord Rogers of Riverside.

9. Médecins du Monde's international projects fall into three categories: emergencies / post-emergency rehabilitation / long-term healthcare development.