Queen’s welcome Ukrainian health professionals as part of ongoing collaboration
Queen’s University recently welcomed and hosted two delegations of Ukrainian health professionals as part of ongoing academic and clinical collaboration with partners in the country.
Professor Pascal McKeown from the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, hosted a meeting with senior medical colleagues as part of the twinning arrangement between Queen’s and Shupyk University in Kiev.
Dr Michael Duffy and Dr Ciaran Mulholland, from the Queen’s Centre for Mental Health and Trauma, also hosted a meeting for Ukrainian psychiatrists in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Regional Trauma Network (RTN).
The visiting health professionals are working with active-service military personnel and veterans affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, with some delivering care close to the frontline.
During the visit, Dr Duffy and Dr Mulholland presented research findings and clinical guidance informed by their work with victims and survivors of the Northern Ireland Troubles/conflict. Additional contributions were made by Mr Joe McVey, Commissioner for Victims and Survivors; Mr Andrew Walker, Chief Executive of the Victims and Survivors Service; colleagues from the NI RTN; and staff from Combat Stress.
Dr Duffy said: “I recall how we valued support from international colleagues during some of the worst days of the Troubles. We have a responsibility now to share our knowledge and research on trauma related mental illnesses with colleagues in Ukraine and other societies coping with conflict.”
Dr Mulholland commented: “One aim of the Regional Trauma Network is that we internationalise what we have learned from treating victims and survivors of the Troubles and this visit was an opportunity to do so. We hope our colleagues in Ukraine gained from their time in Northern Ireland and we look forward to developing and deepening our relationship.”
Key issues raised by the Ukrainian psychiatry colleagues included managing severe and complex trauma in settings with limited time and resources, addressing ongoing re-traumatisation, tackling persistent stigma associated with mental health care, and prioritising the treatment of active-duty service members to support recovery and return to duty.
The Queen’s Centre for Mental Health and Trauma has been working closely with Ukrainian partners since the outbreak of the conflict in 2022, with Dr Duffy and Dr Mulholland providing training in PTSD treatments through the twinning arrangement with Shupyk University. Centre members have conducted research into the mental health impacts of conflict for many years, including studies of PTSD and traumatic grief, and have offered continued support and expertise based on their experience and research arising from the Northern Ireland conflict.