*East London NHS Foundation Trust, Anita House, Wilmer Place, London, N16 0LN, UK, email: davewbaillie{at}hotmail.com
Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, UK
Butabika Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
East London NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Tropical Health and Education Trust, London, UK
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Tropical Health and Education Trust, London, UK
E.P. is a trustee and immediate past Chairman of THET and M.G. works for THET. D.B., J.B., T.O. and C.H. have all been involved in exchange visits funded by Health Foundation grants secured with the support of THET.
This paper describes a link between a mental health trust (the East London Foundation Trust (ELFT)) in the UK and mental health services in Uganda which has developed since 2004. The aim of the link was to help support the development of mental health services in Uganda by establishing an educational partnership. During the first 3 years, nine staff from ELFT and nine staff from Butabika, from a variety of disciplines, have made short-term exchange visits. Evaluation of the link has demonstrated that benefits have been experienced in both London and Uganda. Such links can provide one way of strategically supporting and strengthening existing health services in low- and middle-income countries.