THE NURSES ASSOCIATION OF JAMAICA (UK) CHARITY NO. 1063008
NEWSLETTER
2017-2018
NA J (U K ) 1 9 7 8 - 2 0 1 8 : 40 ye a r s o f se r vin g h o m e a n d a b r o ad
Professor Tony Leiba PhD, JP - Patron
The Official
Launch of NAJ’s
40th Year Celebrations Until the Lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter -
The Journey of NAJ (UK) began in April 1977 when a conference was held for the Commonwealth Nurses Federation on the subject of “Commonwealth Partners in Health Care”. After the main speakers’ sessions participants were divided into groups by countries of origin to consider the following goals: 1) To set up an organisation to support each other and share information about their experiences of working in the UK National Health Service.
African Proverb
2) To contact nurses and midwives in their countries of origin and exchange information about their health care systems. These goals were taken up and the Jamaican nurses who participated had to make the ideas a reality. Firstly, contact was made with the Jamaican Nurses association to draw on their experience. In the early stage the emphasis was on providing support for Jamaican nurses arriving in the UK without professional contact or any working knowledge of the UK system of health care. Furthermore, to help them when they were experiencing hostility, including discrimination, prejudice and racism. Also, they would provide for the exchange of ideas and give financial support, through fundraising for initiatives in the UK and in Jamaica. At the same time maintain a strong link with the Jamaica Nurses Association. Throughout the formative years, and the development of the organisation, the emphasis of NAJ (UK) has been to strive to serve the interests of Jamaican Nurses in the UK, such as 1) providing education, fellowship, mentoring and help in the transition into a new culture,