Current projects of the Scottish Churches' China Group
1. Capacity building for Amity staff
In May 2011, in cooperation with the Friends of the Church in China, we enabled Tan Hua, the Vice-Director of Disaster Relief, to study in Britain, for 3 months, to improve her facility with English and communicating beyond China itself, and we brought her to Scotland for a brief visit and mounted an open session at which she presented, particularly, her work in the Amity Foundation.
2. Care for the elderly – Shanghai
We have been asked by Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian of the Catholic Diocese of Shanghai, to host two people from the Diocese who will focus on Scottish provision of services for the elderly and those with learning difficulties. But the issue of visas for this is proving difficult however some progress may have been made by Lawrence Braschi, during a recent visit, and we will now work with him in future visa applications.
3. Care for those with Spinal Injuries
In July, Doctors Ba Fang and Liu Da, from the Hua Xiang Branch of Shengjing Hospital in Shenyang, spent four weeks at the National Spinal Injuries Unit at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, and the Director wrote most warmly of the worth of their stay.
4. Help with Rehabilitation provision
Professor Zhang joined Dr Ba Fang, for a three week observational visit shadowing members of the Forth Valley NHS REACH Team. Professor Zhang expressed the great value of the visit for them and their colleagues in Hua Xiang Branch Hospital at our September Plenary meeting and later on in writing.
5. Spiritual Care training
In October, we were able to send Rev Margery Collin, Head of Spiritual Care Services, Forth Valley NHS to follow up work done in March 2010, also through the SCCG, with Hospice, Palliative Care and General staff of Shengjing Hospital This is quite a new area of work for hospital staff in China. Social workers from the Liaoning Catholic Social Services Centre were also involved in the training.
6. Talking Mats development
In November, Sally Boa and Joan Murphy were enabled to return to Hua Xiang Branch Hospital to follow up the work they had done in April 2010. Teaching the staff the use of ‘talking mats’ and improving its use.