This year, the theme is #SafeSupportedHealthWorkers. The Frontline Health Workers Coalition and its partners are leading the effort. The goal is to unite advocates, health workers, leaders, and communities worldwide to call for investment, protection, and support for the health workforce. This is especially important in low—and middle-income countries.
At the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), healthcare workers have been a cornerstone of our public and community engagement approach. To amplify World Healthcare Workers Week’s messages this year, we initiated a series of activities to celebrate their dedication and resilience while raising awareness and appreciation from the wider public.
We ran a small campaign to spotlight healthcare workers’ personal stories and experiences around OUCRU and our partnered network. The short videos serve to give the public a view into the daily lives and challenges these frontline heroes face.
Besides raising awareness, one of OUCRU’s Public and Community Engagement core programmes is building capacity for healthcare workers, improving their work experience and professional opportunities, and ultimately aiming for a better comprehensive care system around and beyond the hospital. We have developed a series of online workshops and essential resources aimed at trainers and healthcare workers, as well as implement pilot initiatives around hospitals to prioritise their health and well-being.
By focusing on the professional development and safety of healthcare workers, OUCRU emphasises our commitment to our vision of local research and global impact and empowering healthcare workers to continue and flourish their life-saving work with confidence and resilience.