The Kintampo Project: Hampshire-Ghana Mental Health Link. Improving mental health in Ghana

At a glance

Fields of work: Mental Health

UK Link Partner: NHS Trust
UK Link Partner County: Hampshire

Developing Country Link Partner: Medical Technical Training Centre
Developing Country Link Partner: Ghana

Year Established: 2006

Link Details

A partnership since 2006 between Kintampo Rural Health Training School Ghana (KRHTS) and Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (SHFT). From 2011 managed by The Kintampo Trust, a charity created for this purpose.

At the start

500 mental health nurses + 10 psychiatrists working mainly in 3 large coastal hospitals. Mental health services very sparse across the country.

Vision

For Ghana to have excellent mental health services for all people in all settings especially those in remote and under-served communities.

Impacts so far

Degree in Clinical Psychiatry for Medical Assistants
Diploma in Community Mental Health for Community Health Officers
50 new educators trained and working
80 students graduated August 2011
100 new students entering the programmes / year
Training is 50% ‘hands on’ ie ‘practice based’
Mental health workforce will double by 2017
A new sustainable community mental health service will be in place by 2017

Fields of work

Training and capacity building for staff, provision of practical skills, continuing professional development, curriculum development, mental health, remote and underserved communities

Keys to success

Focus on education – service – workforce
Agenda set by Ghana
Strong leadership in Ghana and UK
Strong institutional commitment

The missions of The Kintampo Project

Mission one – To provide UK expertise to develop a sustainable community based mental health workforce in Ghana

Mission two – To build local capacity in Ghana for programme and service sustainability

Mission three – For staff in the UK and Ghana to learn together through contact with overseas mental health services

Mission four – To develop UK staff to improve services in the UK

The aims of The Kintampo Project

A. To establish a sustainable community focussed mental health workforce in all parts of Ghana, to support existing services, serving all people in all settings especially those in remote and under-served communities, in fulfilment of the aims of the Government of Ghana

In practical terms, this means that by 2017, at least 75% of Ghana’s 174 districts will have 1 Medical Assistant in Psychiatry (MAP) and 2.5 Community Mental Health Officers (CMHO) working with Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPNs) and Medical Officers, providing mental health care, without the need for overseas support

B. To produce and demonstrate benefits for the UK National Health Service, its staff and its patients

In practical terms, this means that The Kintampo Project is conducted in a business like manner and it proactively produces and captures benefits for Southern Health NHS Trust, its staff and its patients, year on year

Find out more at www.thekintampoproject.org