The 2022 TUFH Conference in Vancouver, Canada, was fertile ground for a partnership between the Rural Coordination Centre of British Columbia (RCCbc) and the Rural Doctors Network (RDN). At the conference, RDN CEO Richard Colbran and RCCbc Medical Executive Director Ray Markham discovered their shared mission of enhancing rural healthcare sustainability and equity. Committed to the principle of sharing the best of what we have with each other, they recognized their partnership’s potential and aim to strengthen rural health systems, infrastructure, and workforce in Canada and Australia.

Since their meeting in 2022, the connection between RDN and RCCbc has strengthened through various initiatives:

• Relationship Building in Australia and Canada: Members of RCCbc leadership travelled to Australia to build relationships with RDN leaders and were lead on tour of New South Wales communities and Indigenous organizations. In 2023, RDN Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands Engagement, visited Vancouver, Canada, for the Healing Our Spirit Worldwide conference, where RCCbc facilitated their connection with BC First Nations health leaders and organizations.

• Healing Our Spirit Worldwide Conference: Nicole Turner, RDN Director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands Engagement, visited Vancouver, Canada, for the 2023 Healing Our Spirit Worldwide conference hosted by the First Nations Health Authority. RCCbc facilitated Nicole’s meetings with the First Nations Health Council and First Nations Health Authority leaders.

• International Collaboration Agreement: The 2023 RCCbc/RDN International Collaboration Agreement was drafted, outlining the partnership’s goals, activities, and outcomes.

• Collaborative Learning Sessions: Development of learning sessions for intentional relationship building and connection among leadership and staff. These sessions aimed to deepen understanding of each other’s organizations, their work, and programs.

• Knowledge Sharing and Network Connections: Ongoing efforts in knowledge sharing and building connections with experts within the wider organizational networks.

Planned Activities:

• TUFH 2024 Presentation: Co-presenting at TUFH 2024 on the power and impact of the partnership, focusing on socially accountable networks and mechanisms for positive health system change.

• Medical Student Exchange: Launching the inaugural medical student exchange in Fall 2024, where two final-year Australian medical students from RDN’s network will complete their elective placement through RCCbc, engaging in both clinical and non-clinical activities with members of RCCbc’s network.

• MOU Signing at TUFH 2024: Signing a MOU to formalize relationship building, collaborative direction setting, and shared learning over the past two years, committing to ongoing work together.

RCCbc and The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH) became Global Strategic Partners in 2021. TUFH is an international, intersectoral, and intergenerational organization that fosters equitable community-oriented health services, education, and research, with the goal of improving health both locally and globally. This partnership aligns with RCCbc’s mission and expands its reach in the global health community.

In 2022, RCCbc collaborated with TUFH and the BC Patient Safety and Quality Council (now known as Health Quality BC), along with local partners, to co-host the TUFH 2022 conference in Vancouver under the theme “Moving Forward Together: Unity for Health for All.” This international, intersectoral, and intergenerational conference was a fully hybrid event that brought together more than 300 participants from 46 countries, including voices and perspectives from all seven World Health Organization regions. The conference exemplified the partnership’s commitment to fostering inclusive dialogue and equitable health solutions.

Building on the existing successes of the RCCbc–TUFH partnership, members of the RCCbc team, including Daniel Harper, Daniel Medina, Mariam Iculet Arikosi, and Bob Wollard, attended the 2023 TUFH conference in Sharjah. At this event, they presented on exchange programs for future health leaders from historically marginalized communities and populations. This ongoing collaboration enriches both RCCbc and TUFH networks and promises mutual benefits at a strategic level, guiding their global health initiatives and fostering impactful community-oriented health strategies.