Lord Provost leads health and welfare delegation in Bethlehem

Glasgow's Lord Provost Eva Bolander departs for Bethlehem to lead a professional twinning visit.

It will be her first trip to the city, in her capacity as Lord Provost, leading a small delegation of specialists and academics concerned with health and welfare. Including representatives from NHSGGC, Glasgow University and Glasgow City Council's Education Services.

The Lord Provost said: "I'm looking forward to meeting up with Mayor Attorney Anton Salma, and to visiting the people of Bethlehem involved in our exciting joint projects. The purpose, to strengthen the bonds between our people, encourage greater co-operation, deepen understanding and foster the improved health and wellbeing of our citizens.

"I'm proud, in this spirit of friendship and international co-operation to journey to Bethlehem and lend my support to these vital schemes that demonstrate so well, the value of twinning relationships."

The Lord Provost will visit Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem Guidance and Training Center and Bethlehem University. At the university she will meet the first wave of students completing the Post-Graduate Cancer Nurse Diploma.

It represents the culmination of six years of collaboration devising the diploma, by Glasgow Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, Gerry O'Hare, and the Dean of Nursing at Bethlehem University, Mariam Awad.

Gerry O'Hare said: "It will be exciting to see the very first specialist cancer nurses graduate. I've been helping develop cancer nurse education links between Glasgow and Bethlehem for the last six years. This has involved teaching visits to Bethlehem by NHSGGC clinicians and clinical placements for Palestinian cancer nurses in Glasgow hospitals.

"It's anticipated this close working of a number of partners, charities and government agencies will result in significant improvements in cancer nurse practice and patients' cancer experiences and outcomes."

The specialist course also has the support of Medical Aid for Palestine, the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Bethlehem University and Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

The Lord Provost will also attend the launch ceremony for a new Applied Child Psychology Programme, led by Fergal Doherty, Principal Psychologist with Glasgow City Council's Education Services and Stephen McLeod, Head of GGC's Specialist Children's Services.

They are helping jointly devise a curriculum for professional development for staff working with children, young people and families across Palestine. Assisted by academics from Glasgow and Dundee Universities.

Both projects are being financially supported by Glasgow City Council's Twinning programme.

Fergal Doherty said: "This partnership and project is proving really exciting and worthwhile. While our citizens are from different countries the effects of, for example, trauma are similar.

"Whilst the level of trauma experienced by the children and young people of Palestine is of a different magnitude nonetheless it is giving us a valuable insight into how to address trauma at home.

"That coupled with the input from our university colleagues is helping inform us in drawing up a relevant programme of applied child psychology to help Glaswegians at home and Palestinians abroad."

Glasgow is twinned with seven other cities spanning three continents: Havana in Cuba, Marseille in France, Lahore in Pakistan, Dalian in China, Nuremberg in Germany, Rostov in Russia and Turin in Italy.