Welcoming our new CEO
Having founded the charity in 2015 and led it as CEO for nine years, Elly Nott has stepped down as Chief Executive to take up an alternative role in the leadership of the organisation.
As Elly embarks on her new role, the charity warmly welcomes Dr James Gough as its leader. James is a former military and aid doctor, having served with the British Army and international aid groups in Afghanistan, Egypt, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
Beyond the field of medicine, James has served with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and founded both the virtual reality enterprise One Shot Immersive and a UK charity promoting and protecting the wellness of those who serve the Crown.
Dr James Gough MBBCh, newly appointed CEO of the David Nott Foundation, said:
“It is the privilege of my professional life to have the opportunity to serve the beneficiaries of the David Nott Foundation as Chief Executive. At a time of immense human suffering around the world, the dedication of our donors, our volunteers and our people is both humbling and critically important.”
Graham Hodgkin, Chair of Trustees of the David Nott Foundation, said:
“The David Nott Foundation continues to develop its position as providing the gold standard of conflict surgical training. The Foundation is known and respected among humanitarian organisations, government ministries and policymakers and trusted by healthcare workers. Crucially, our training saves lives and makes access to safe, skilled surgical care a reality for more people in conflict and catastrophe-affected regions.
Alongside Co-Founders David and Elly Nott, and my fellow Trustees, we are delighted to welcome James as our new CEO and have every faith in his ability to deliver our vision and mission to our stakeholders. He will have our unwavering support as he takes on his new role as CEO of this remarkable and special organisation.”
Since our birth in 2015, our global faculty of trainers have upskilled over 2000 doctors in countries tarred by war and disaster, such as Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Ukraine and Palestine. Under James's leadership, we look forward to further deepening our impact across the globe.
SUPPORT OUR MISSIONS
Our new Betty Boothroyd Scholarship Fund
We are delighted to announce the launch of our new Scholarship Fund in memory of our late Patron and beloved friend, The Rt Hon. The Baroness Boothroyd OM. The fund invites applications from medical professionals living, working or volunteering in conflict zones, including surgeons, clinicians and nurses, who wish to further their surgical training.
Our Patron
Betty became our Patron in 2016, when the conflict in Syria was at its most intense. Areas of the country were besieged, civilian infrastructure targeted and the passage of humanitarian aid restricted. Betty would often call our Co-Founders to express her concern at what was happening and ask what the Foundation could do to help.
In conflict, surgeons need a particular set of skills and decision-making strategies to be able to respond effectively to the waves of devastating injuries they encounter daily. The work of training doctors began in Misrata, Libya, moved on to Aleppo, Syria, and we have since then trained 1,825 surgeons and anaesthetists in conflict setting including Iraq, Cameroon, Palestine, Ukraine and many more.
From the very beginning of her journey with us, Betty remained deeply passionate about our training of frontline doctors working relentless hours. In honour of Betty’s commitment to our mission, we are proud to launch the Betty Boothroyd Scholarship Fund.
What’s the funding criteria?
Whether you’re a Sudanese nurse interested in a Masters in Trauma Management, a Palestinian doctor wishing to complete a paediatrics course, or a humanitarian surgeon interested in joining one of our HEST-UK courses, we may be able to support you with funding.
Guidelines
1. Applications are open to any surgical team members who wish to further their medical training or education (e.g. surgeon, anaesthetist or surgical nurse)
2. The training that applicants are seeking funding for can be held anywhere in the world
3. Applicants must meet one of three criteria below:
- Living and/or working in a conflict or catastrophe zone
- Your country of origin is a territory that has experienced conflict or catastrophe, however you currently reside in another country
- You are a humanitarian surgeon who travels to, and volunteers in, conflict and catastrophe zones
“Thanks to Betty’s generosity to our Foundation, she will continue to make a difference to doctors striving to heal their wounded communities for decades to come.” - Elly Nott, Co-Founder
Contact us to apply
103 surgical life savers in Tripoli, Libya
We’re back from a week in the Libyan city of Tripoli after completing a first-in-our-history mission. We upskilled 103 doctors – the largest number trained on one mission – and trialled our brand-new obstetrics and gynaecology course.
Libya’s history is marked by political turmoil and civil unrest. The uprising against the rule of Gaddafi led to brutal violence against Libyan civilians and instability across the country. Today, 13 years after the ruler’s death, conflict between armed groups continues and Libya’s security remains fragile.
Outside of politics, Libya has been devastated by natural disaster. In September of 2023, heavy rain caused the collapse of two dams, leading to horrific damage and the loss of thousands of lives. Wounds inflicted by violence or natural disasters often require rapid surgical care, with a need to focus on controlling the worst of the damage first.
Surgical toolkit for any crisis
In a bid to empower Libyan doctors with skills to treat wounds caused by war or natural disaster, we partnered with the Libyan Board of Medical Specialties to deliver four surgical training courses in parallel. Over five intense days, our team of expert trainers delivered two trauma surgery courses, two anaesthesia courses and a brand-new obstetrics and gynaecology course.
According to a 2023 UN agency report, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth every two minutes. During conflict, women are less likely to seek maternal care and hospitals are under-staffed or under-resourced. That's why our trainers created a bespoke obstetrics and gynaecology course to help doctors better protect mothers and their babies in war and catastrophe.
During the week, we trained 103 doctors. Doctors we’d previously upskilled in Libya also joined our training faculty and led the teaching of a number of our modules for the first time. Dr Aisha Alghamji was one of them.
It really was paralysing
Dr Alghamji shared: “I remember I have a case of a 70-year-old lady. We found there was a huge bleed in her tummy. Most of her blood is – in minutes – almost drained out. It really was paralysing – what to do? She doesn’t have that much time.
"That lack of knowledge paralysed me. She is a living, human being – with dreams, hopes, a whole community. She is part of it. It keeps haunting you, that feeling. What I could do differently?"
She lost her life.
After 2018 when I attended the course with the Foundation, there is something shifted in my way of thinking. It did that thing for me, that confidence the surgeon needs to do more than their best – to run the extra mile for the patient.
I faced another case similar to it (this lady). I told immediately to me brain – ‘damage control! Damage control!’. I was able to send her home. She is alive, she is a grandmother, she is everything.”
A resilient healthcare system
Dr Moez Zeiton, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and our Faculty Lead for Libya, said: “It is a privilege to have had the opportunity to lead the single most ambitious series of courses for the foundation, training over 100 doctors in a week. It was a huge effort from the foundation’s team and superb faculty to get over the line.
Candidates in Libya travelled from every part of the country with many travelling over 1000km to participate in our surgical training. Their eagerness to learn and share their own experiences was evident and they will now be equipped with the skills needed to deliver high quality care to their patients. "
This marks the beginning of continued training in Libya and a commitment to gifting doctors with extensive trauma skills to handle any challenge.
HELP US FUND MISSIONS IN LIBYA
Our second mission for Palestine's medical workforce
In the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, tens of thousands have lost their lives and hundreds of thousands are now displaced. Hundreds of casualties have been reported in the West Bank. Our commitment to supporting affected communities continues and we will do all we can until we reach doctors on the ground.
Despite recent escalation, Palestine has been engulfed by conflict for decades. Recognising a need for upskilled doctors, we first delivered a Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST) course in Ramallah in March 2017 and another in 2022 in collaboration with Juzoor. We also taught Palestinian surgeons on our latest UK Train the Trainers course, giving them the skills needed to teach their own peers.
“I love Ramallah. But we don’t have control of our borders,” shared Dr Salwa Najjab, Co-Founder and Chairwoman at Juzoor in 2022.
“We are living in a big prison. Our people should be exposed to the world. We are very happy and thankful to the David Nott Foundation, to come and see what we are doing, to understand our situation and see it in their eyes.”
Following the resounding success of our Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST)-UK course for doctors heading to Palestine, we once again joined forces with Palmed to train another group who intend to offer their skills on the frontline.
At Bolton University, we taught six anaesthetists and 31 surgeons from the UK, Germany, Ireland, Denmark, and Norway. The doctors share a common passion for using their hands to help those affected by the aggression on Gaza.
Dr Israar Haq, a general surgeon who joined our course shared, "If you have any grain of humanity in your heart, you want to help."
BBC spotlight
BBC-Northwest took notice of our efforts and joined our training. They spoke with experienced surgical trainer, Dr Rebekka Troller, who shared: "The aim is to give the doctors the skills to do damage control, save lives, be the first to respond, and stabilise a patient before they can be transferred."
Our presence at Bolton University also attracted attention from university professors, medical students and doctors. They explored our world-class teaching models and extended a warm welcome to our team in appreciation of our commitment to war doctors.
Our latest course for Palestine reaffirms our unwavering commitment to helping communities facing the horrors of war. We remain steadfast in our mission to empower medical heroes and make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need.
Addressing healthcare challenges in Moldova
In the wake of the escalating conflict in Ukraine, Moldova, a neighbouring country, is grappling with the concern of being somehow drawn into the war. To extend support during these challenging times, the David Nott Foundation, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, conducted two specialised Hostile Environment Surgical Training-Anaesthesia courses in Moldova.
The refugee influx and healthcare strain
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Moldova has witnessed an influx of over 700,000 refugees seeking peace and safety by passing through its borders. Recognising the strain these precipitates to available healthcare resources, the Foundation has provided ongoing support over four courses since January 2023.
The anaesthesia (HEST-A) courses, conducted from December 11th to 16th, aimed to up skill 25 anaesthetists to better handle healthcare challenges arising from the crisis. The training spanned six days, with the first three days conducted in English and the subsequent three days in Moldovan.
Participants expressed satisfaction with the course structure, emphasising the benefit of discussions and supervised practical activity over a lecture-heavy approach. As the anaesthetists underwent training, they raised concerns about resource availability and hospital capacity in the face of refugee movements. In response, our highly skilled teaching faculty offered valuable advice and information.
Innovative training models
The courses saw three UK-based faculty members delivering in-person sessions, with an additional faculty member, the Foundation’s lead consultant for anaesthesia, delivering a virtual training session on chemical weapons.
The David Nott Foundation's HEST-A course in Moldova not only aimed to enhance the skills of healthcare professionals but also addressed specific challenges posed by the Ukraine crisis. By fostering collaboration with WHO and adapting the course content to local needs, the Foundation continues its mission of providing essential medical training in conflict zones to save lives and alleviate human suffering.
“There is nothing more heart-warming, more fulfilling, than seeing the impact of our work through the stories of those we teach. To see that connection brought to life is truly a testament to our mission.” - Hannah Graham-Brown, Programmes Officer at The David Nott Foundation
Doctors rapidly trained to treat trauma injuries in Gaza
During a remarkable four-day Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST) course, surgeons and anaesthetists from the UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Qatar gathered in Bolton to learn how to treat trauma injuries in the Gaza Strip.
Organised in two weeks in collaboration with Palmed, 42 doctors headed for the Middle East were trained to treat complex trauma injuries incurred in the Israel-Gaza conflict. This course not only marks a significant step towards preparing medical professionals for future missions in Palestine but also reflects a shared commitment to saving lives in conflict zones.
"Thank you to the David Nott Foundation. Without them, this training would not have been possible. Together, we are organising this course to assist the people in the Gaza Strip once it is safe and travel becomes feasible. The response from numerous doctors expressing their desire to help has been overwhelming, and we are hopeful to conduct a second course in the coming weeks." - Riyadh Al Masharqa, Plastic surgeon, PalMed
Addressing urgent medical needs in Gaza
The course was organised in response to the pressing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Palestine. According to on-the-ground partners, medical professionals are stretched to their limits and hospitals are overwhelmed.
The group included specialists in orthopaedic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatric anaesthesia, and general surgery. Some brought valuable, first-hand experience from regions affected by conflict, like Afghanistan and Syria, while others joined to grow their understanding of how to treat war wounds before heading on mission.
"I'm excited about expanding my skill set beyond obstetrics and gynaecology to acquire new capabilities that will benefit mothers and their infants in Gaza and the West Bank. I recognize the desperate need for assistance in this region. This course is unique as it combines obstetrics and gynaecology with trauma care. This training aims to address complex challenges comprehensively and I look forward to it.” - Dr Iman Al Mabhooh, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
A troop of volunteers
For the very first time, 11 FDNF volunteers from our Friends of The David Nott Foundation (FDNF) and Trainees of The David Nott Foundation (TDNF) societies volunteered to help arrange and assist during the course. This joint effort meant it could be organised at lightning speed, rapidly creating a network of well-trained war doctors.
“Given not only the humanitarian crisis in Gaza but with the targeting of healthcare workers in particular it's never been more important to strengthen our healthcare colleagues and equip them with the skills to do their incredibly difficult jobs and to support them through a very precarious situation.” - Nadia, FDNF Manchester President
Our surgical HEST and anaesthesia courses were held simultaneously, demonstrating our commitment to enhancing the skills of all those striving to preserve life in the operating theatre.
"What has been great about this course is meeting people that have experienced things in the field. From the anaesthetics point of view, it's been helpful to learn how they deal with limited resources and supplies, and we have been using airway mannequins and practicing with video scopes."- Dr Douglas Philpott, Anaesthetist
We’re committed
As war continues to rage, we are working on a second surgical training course with the goal of upskilling even more frontline medical professionals. We won’t stop empowering doctors with the knowledge needed to save lives and limbs against the odds.
Our latest training in Palestine
MedGlobal Conference 2023: Building resilience amidst disaster
We’re back from Chicago, after two days at MedGlobal’s Annual Conference 2023. The conference brought together medical professionals, humanitarian aid coordinators, volunteers and students to discuss how we build resilience, protect mental health and utilise the power of artificial intelligence in conflict and disaster.
“We are not immune from conflict and disaster anywhere in the world. Ecuador, Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen, Sudan. Our mission is to ensure the lives of those going through challenge are better.” - Dr Zaher Sahloul, Co-Founder and President of MedGlobal
As conflict and disaster continues to stain our world, humanitarian organisations play a key role in helping communities survive and rebuild, whether by supplying basic resources such as shelter, food, water or clothing, or in the case of our Foundation, empowering doctors with life-saving surgical knowledge.
Despite the importance of humanitarian support, it is critical that communities are empowered to restore and rebuild their own lives - and have the tools to do so.
Local empowerment
Our Co-Founder and CEO Elly Nott spoke on the conference’s opening panel, alongside panellists Dr Omar Lateef, Chief Executive of RUSH University Medical Centre in Chicago, Sarah Eyring, Direction of Operations at the Stirling Foundation, and Sharon Eubank, Director of Humanitarian Services at Latter-Day Saint Charities. The group discussed how we can help communities become more resilient.
Elly shared: “What’s needed is a unified effort and giving locally-led organisations the space to flourish. They are closest to the need and what their communities require.”
For communities to rebuild, four things are vital:
- Humanitarian funding needs to be long-term, not just one to two-year funding cycles
- More funding must reach locally-led organisations, not as sub-contractors, but leaders of their own restoration
- Governance must be front and centre of all efforts
- Our healthcare workers must be better protected
Healthcare is a human right
Speaking about protection, Elly shared: “Healthcare is under attack wherever we look. We’ve seen it in over 900 verified attacks in Syria. The mental health effects on our healthcare workers are immense.”
In addition to advocating for the protection of our doctors, programmes like our Train the Trainers course hand the power to surgeons and anaesthetists in conflict and catastrophe, giving them knowledge and skills they can share with their colleagues. Sharing forms bonds and will help clinical teams make quick, effective decisions together, despite surrounding in chaos.
“Mental health gets better when you believe in what you’re doing. Local empowerment will build improved mental health. If you feel valued, invested in, connected as a team and part of change – mental health will get better.” – Dr Omar Lateef
Lifetime Achievement Award
Outside of relationship building and discussion during panels, our Co-Founder Professor David Nott was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to humanitarian surgery on the frontline. He received a standing ovation from approximately 400 gala attendees, after sharing stories from his time in Aleppo.
"I was operating on a little girl. All of a sudden, we were told to evacuate as the hospital was about to be bombed. I looked at the anaesthetist, and said I wasn't leaving. They didn't leave either. Together, we operated on the little girl - and no bomb came. She survived."
We thank MedGlobal for their generosity and invitation. Together, we will continue to serve, support and empower communities in need.
AIDEX Conference 2023: Joining forces and empowering local communities
In October, our team flew to Geneva to attend this year’s AIDEX Conference, bringing humanitarian leaders, local partners and NGOs together to discuss the world’s forgotten crises and humanitarian needs.
AIDEX presents a powerful opportunity to build collaboration, for common good
- Nicholas Rutherford, Managing Director of AIDEX and Development 2023
This year’s theme at AIDEX, ‘forgotten crises’, was a sobering yet deeply important topic. Discussions and workshops during the two-day conference shone a light on crises that lack prolific media attention, such as in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Sudan, Libya, Chad and beyond.
Without an international spotlight, multiple communities across the globe are suffering the effects of conflict and natural disasters. To meet the growing needs of millions requiring humanitarian aid, we need a step change.
As stressed by Dominik Stillhart from Swiss Humanitarian Aid, “maintaining the status quo is not sufficient”. Together, NGOs and aid organisations must join forces to have greater, collective impact in the communities that need it.
True impact means localisation
Humanitarian action must be shaped by voices within affected communities, to ensure the problem is better understood and met with the right solution. Local communities must be empowered to rebuild their own lives in the long term. To do this, investment in locally-led organisations is crucial.
Local empowerment remains at our heart.
We upskill doctors living and working within conflict and catastrophe zones to become trainers themselves. We have trainers in northwest Syria, Palestine, Sudan, and in due course, Ukraine.
We don’t forget
Syria has long been out of the media spotlight, yet the northwest faces consistent bombardment and indiscriminate attacks, wounding and killing civilians and putting their already-fractured healthcare system under greater strain.
Since 2012, our Co-Founder David Nott has built a long-standing relationship of mutual respect and trust with Syrian doctors, something we sustain to this day. In May, we upskilled surgeons in northwest Syria to treat and rehabilitate those injured during the earthquake. 90% of our trainers were Syrian and the course was taught in Arabic – making our course even more accessible.
The media spotlight may move on, but we will continue to focus our attention and resources on crises for as long as we are needed.
Our action in response to the Israel-Gaza war
As a humanitarian organisation delivering surgical training to doctors in regions affected by conflict and catastrophe, we have been devastated by the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East.
We have been in contact with our partners, including Juzoor and Action for Humanity, local faculty of trainers, and those we’ve previously trained, to gather a comprehensive picture of the injuries being encountered and needs of medical professionals on the ground.
Reports reveal that many healthcare facilities are under severe strain. Emergency departments are under immense pressure, with growing numbers of trauma injuries due to shellings, shrapnel or collapsed buildings. Supplies at blood banks and basic medical resources are also running low.
Our action
To support hard-to-reach medical professionals at this time, we:
Turned our world-class surgical training course into a series of short videos that can be watched in their own time. We’ve shared our English and Arabic videos with local doctors across the region.
Shared our videos with local partner medical professional networks, ensuring even more doctors in need can benefit from the resource.
Invited local doctors to our global case study discussion forum to share patient cases and gain advice from peers around the world.
Exploring a bespoke discussion forum for doctors affected by this crisis, where our faculty of trainers and others can offer advice and surgical guidance more personally.
As the emergency unfolds, we will continue to monitor how best to support doctors under pressure until we are able to deliver our surgical training course in person.
Elly Nott, our Co-Founder and CEO, said:
“We are appalled by the violence and loss of life in Israel and Gaza and extend our condolences to all who have lost loved ones.
Following the attacks, many are contending with injuries of vast complexity, scale and intensity.
Healthcare workers should be able to deliver life-saving care to their communities free from the threat of violence and parties should uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.
Access and protection for humanitarians delivering assistance to those civilians affected is essential.”