Innovative job planning to facilitate UK surgeon engagement with international development

Low- and middle-income countries have inadequate access to high-quality medical and surgical care; as a result, over 8 million lives are lost every year in these countries. Lack of high-quality surgical care not only leads to poor health outcomes, but also has significant economic implications. Therefore, increasing surgical capacity in low- and middle-income countries is one of the most important global surgical issues. The NHS can play a significant role in alleviating these issues. Among surgeons, there is a growing interest in volunteering for global surgery initiatives, and engagement in these programmes can have important benefits for both the NHS itself and its staff. A significant consideration for volunteers is whether they can obtain time off their usual role to participate in global surgery initiatives, while balancing NHS service provision needs. This article discusses practical options for facilitating surgeon engagement in international development.