CwPAMS 2 Programme (2022 - 2025)

The second round of the CwPAMS scheme, funded by the UK Department for Health and Social Care’s Fleming Fund and managed by the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) and the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA), will fund up to 24 projects working in the following eight priority countries: Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

The project will focus on some or all of the below:

• Improving antimicrobial stewardship, including surveillance;
• Building antimicrobial pharmacy expertise and capacity;
• Enhancing infection prevention and control;
• Improving the use of clinical microbiology and antimicrobial prescribing data to inform clinical decisions;
• Enhancing the detection and reporting of substandard and falsified antimicrobial medicines;
• Supporting community pharmacy.

CwPAMS aims to leverage the expertise of UK health institutions and Commonwealth country technical experts to strengthen the capacity of the national health workforce and institutions in Commonwealth countries to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenges.

Running since 2018, grants focus on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and on developing pharmacy expertise and capacity, whilst developing infection prevention and control (IPC) initiatives and strengthening capacity through the generation and use of clinical microbiology data. More information on CwPAMS and the 26 projects funded in the first round of the grant programme is available here.

Applications must be submitted by existing or new Health Partnerships (HPs), long-term institutionalised relationships between health institutions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and their counterparts in the UK. Partnerships that apply to be a part of CwPAMS must include significant contributions from an NHS institution or NHS staff. 

Partnerships aim to improve health services and systems in LMICs through the reciprocal exchange of skills, knowledge and experience. Partners co-develop programmes that address organisational and national priorities, including AMR National Action Plans. 

Those not currently part of a Health Partnership (or those who are but require additional expertise) and would like THET’s support to form one can provide their details in the Expression of Interest form. We also have a wide range of resources here, to be used by those considering starting a Health Partnership. 

The focus will be on long-term sustainability, gradually reducing the reliance on UK expertise by supporting in-country experts to provide relevant local knowledge and expertise with regards to AMR/AMS through a culture of behaviour change and quality improvement. More details of this will follow with the call for applications.  

The UK NHS plays a critical role in CwPAMS so we are keen to attract NHS partners to apply. If you are unsure whether this is the right thing for you, please get in touch with us at grants@thet.org so we can explain the programme further. 

The programme offers a number of training opportunities, including behaviour change methodology, project and financial management, and a fellowship scheme for pharmacists. First round CwPAMS partnerships reported the following benefits: 

• Improved leadership skills: promotions to management positions and opportunities to contribute to senior working groups 

• Opportunities to develop global networking opportunities and share bi-directional learning
• Professional skills development, including project management, negotiating, teamwork, networking, and improved technology skills
• Involvement in global health fellowships
• Improved enthusiasm and motivation for pharmacy work, contributing to increased staff wellbeing 
• Adding to the international research portfolio and reputation of the NHS institution, as well as increased awareness and understanding of AMS and AMR

As well as the usual project management advice THET provides to all grant holders, following learning from CwPAMS 1 THET is offering grant holders the option of accessing draw-down support directly from a consultant employed by THET who can provide aspects of project administration on behalf of the partnership. Funds for this support would need to be budgeted for by the applicant, and THET will outline the level of costs required within the Call for Applications. This could include:

• Project coordination including meeting organisation and facilitation
• Volunteer management
• Stakeholder engagement and management
• Support with monitoring and evaluation including data collection and analysis
• Reporting (narrative and financial)
• Financial tracking and re-budgeting
• Policy drafting (e.g. safeguarding, gender equality and social inclusion)
• Risk management
• Procurement

As the technical lead for the programme, the CPA will provide an overarching technical programme of support as well as providing tailored technical support to partnerships. A list of possible technical support areas will be provided shortly. Some of this support will be provided as part of the core technical offering for the programme, whilst other elements may require funds for this support and would need to be budgeted for by the applicant, and CPA will outline the level of costs required within the Call for Applications.