Research programs

We strive to deliver high quality humanitarian offender healthcare to detainees, as well as to ex-detainees and their dependents.

Whether it is being charged for or provided on a humanitarian basis, healthcare should be evidence based - that is, informed by high quality research. Yet compared to patients who are not detainees, there is relatively little clinical research into the health needs of detainees.

Internal programs

Case studies

By writing up and sharing case studies, we hope to improve international offender healthcare.

Scoping studies

Scoping team of clinicians and interpreters by remote jungle jail

Before we decide to start (or not to start) a service in a particular place of detention, we perform a standardised scoping study in order to look at the existing provision (if any), the most extreme needs, and the biggest barriers that we might face.

Audits

Several aspects of our healthcare service are audited rigorously and regularly. A classic example is audit to improve the quality of our electronic medical records.

Quality improvement projects

Aside from audit, quality improvement projects (QIPs) are a big part of our service development. This is especially the case for our healthcare, advocacy and training services. All non-local (and some local) trainees studying at our Philippines base undertake a QIP: we place great emphasis on demonstrating an evidence base for whatever changes they suggest.

External programs

University of Leeds

BSc and MSc students (bottom row far left & second right) serving alongside clinicians

  • From 2016 until the second year of the pandemic, we partnered with the University of Leeds’ intercalated BSc & MSc programs in International Health.

  • Students designed high quality research projects to answer questions that were of interest to us, obtained medical ethics committee (MEC) approval through the university, and then came out to the Philippines to do their field research hand-in-glove with our clinical teams.

  • We have collated their dissertations.

Other institutions

We are open to similar collaborations with other universities.

…let the wise listen and add to their learning,
    and let the discerning get guidance…
Proverbs 1:5