Guangzhou, China - Neurosciences Education and Training Program

Neurosciences Education and Training Program, Guangzhou, China

The neurosciences partnership between Guangzhou Children’s Hospital (GZCH) and BC Children’s Hospital (BCCH) is a product of over twenty years of affiliation. Since 2005, the groundwork has been laid for collaboration in neurosciences with an emphasis on capacity building in the diagnosis and management of seizure disorders, neuromotor disabilities and developmental disorders with BCCH including Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children (SHHC), the child development and rehabilitation centre that is part of the BC Children’s Hospital. In 2006, a team of five physicians from GZCH were brought over to BCCH in Vancouver for six months. This team received training in neurology, electrophysiology, psychology and nursing. Today, these five physicians have assumed leading roles within their respective departments at GZCH.

A four-year project, Advancing Disability and Epilepsy Care for Children in China, was initiated in November 2008 and will end in October 2012. In December 2008, a team of six members from BC Children’s Hospital including the Centre for International Child Health and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children travelled to Guangzhou. They met with the GZCH neurosciences team, who will be leading the project, municipal and regional health administrators and other key stakeholders. The objectives of this project include the following:

1. Strengthen capacities among GZCH staff in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy and cerebral palsy
2. Create a provincial training centre at GCZH in neuro-developmental disorders
3. Identify municipal and rural demonstration hospital sites where service delivery models and clinical practice guidelines can be developed, tested and then scaled up
4. Establish and pre-test neuro-developmental training curricula to be delivered throughout the Province of Guangdong

The first six months of the project has established a strong leadership team from both parties who have a common vision and commitment to the program goals. Guangzhou Children’s Hospital has shown the commitment of the regional sites and is seen as a leader in building a system of care for children with epilepsy and cerebral palsy.

In order to further identify the needs of health professional, children and families in Guangzhou, under the supervision of Canadian experts, a needs assessment has been initiated and carried out in GZCH and four participated Guangzhou municipal hospitals by the professionals at GZCH since February 2009.

The BCCH epilepsy and rehabilitation teams will be in Guangzhou in June/July 2009 with a specific focus on training of the Guangzhou team, building their clinical skills and skills as trainers (train-the-trainer). This work in combination with the needs assessment will provide a solid basis of data that will better inform the curricular development and operation of the Training Centre.