The Department of Health (DH) of the United Kingdom, has developed a Code of Practice for National Health Service (NHS) employers to promote good standards and discourage practices that would harm other country's health care system.

The code will cover all institutions involved in the international recruitment of health care professionals "This code of practice, when adhered to by all countries would go along way to curb the brain drain of health professionals who leave their countries to find greener pastures".

David Amos, Deputy Director of Human Resources Directorate of DH made this know in Accra at the end of a two-day workshop for Ghanaian health professionals on "Sharing experience and moving forward".

The workshop, which was facilitated by the United Kingdom Department of Health, was also to provide a forum for the professionals to discuss ways of improving their lives in their home countries.

Amos said the workshop also aimed at developing networking opportunities between health care professionals in Ghana and the United Kingdom to share information that would empower nurses and bring a positive effect on patients care.

He said the department had set up a register of countries that would abide by the principles and standards spelt out in the code of practice. Amos noted that the code was intended to protect the developing countries that experience shortage of health professionals due to the international recruitment.

"The code however, promotes the structured exchanged of health care personnel for mutual benefit of NHS and health care systems around the world". Gregory Quinn, Second Secretary, Political Press and Public Affairs of the British High Commission, said the United Kingdom through the Department for International Development (DFID) was committed to providing 40 million pounds to support Ghana's priorities in the health sector for a four-year period (2002-2006).

Areas to be covered include basic health care, training, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and developing long-term strategies for work in health care delivery. He said the commission was working with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to address the critical issue of staff retention and support a long-term human resources strategy that would move the nation forward.

Mrs Mariama Braimah, Chief Nursing Officer of the Ministry of Health, said the Ministry was liasing with a University in the United Kingdom to invite expertise to teach nurses who want to better their education without re-locating. "We already had a positive response and this would help maintain some of our nurses, while they also continue with their studies".