The Centre is continuously striving to expand and improve the services provided to our patients. Therefore, SIRC networks with various organizations by participating in training programs and conferences to develop the skills and knowledge of our staff. Such networking strengthens the human resource capacity of SIRC and consequently the quality of care provided to our patients.

Most of the trainings and staff development programs were made possible by our partnership with Grooms-Shaftesbury (formerly John Grooms Overseas), through the support provided by Irish Aid.

SIRC is an active member of the Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN). In the past, we have both participated in and hosted the ASCoN Annual Conference. The conference has proved to be an opportunity for professionals (doctors, nurses, surgeons, manages, therapists, counselors, social workers, etc.) confronting the challenges of spinal injury to come together and share ideas, discuss challenges, and build links for the future. Thus, the conference promotes further development of SCI services and related human resources. As a member, SIRC also participates in ASCoN's Annual General Meeting and the gathering of the ISCoS Education Committee. Being a member of ASCoN has proved to be valuable as it has enabled us to share our voices, make contacts and learn how to better serve our patients. [Please link ASCoN in the first sentence to the appropriate link] [For the second sentence please link the word "hosted the ASCoN Annual Conference" to the word document "4th Annual ASCoN Report"]

The Centre will be hosting the 8th Annual ASCoN Conference in December 2009.

The International Spine and Spinal Injuries Conference (ISSICON) is an annual event coordinated by the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS). SIRC has been participating in these conferences as it provides an opportunity to learn, share ideas, and discuss issues regarding spinal injury and spinal care.

Most recently, a team of SIRC staff attended the conference in Delhi from February 22-24, 2008. The main theme of this conference was "Recent Advances in Spine Care." The conference allowed the SIRC staff to develop professionally by providing the opportunity to augment their knowledge of spinal injury and spinal care. The conference also presented an opportunity to network with organizations sharing similar objectives.

Training programs are essential to SIRC's goals of developing the services provided to our patients. Accordingly, our staff attend training programs both nationally and internationally in order to develop their professional skills. SIRC also invites professionals to conduct training programs at our Centre.

Our Physiotherapy Department in-charge (February 2008), our Occupational Therapy in-charge (June 2008), and our peer counselors (February 2008) have all attended training programs at the Indian Spinal Injury Centre (ISIC) in Delhi, India. The ISIC training strengthened their treatment skills and augmented their knowledge.

A three member team from SIRC also attended training on wheelchair assembly and assessment conducted by Motivation, Sri Lanka in June 2005. This training allowed SIRC to effectively distribute the 370 three-wheeler wheelchairs SIRC received from Motivation, UK. (see Wheelchair Service)

In January 2007, our medical doctor attended training on the advances of surgical interventions at the Amrita Institute in Kelala, India.

While most of our trainings are conducted by partner organizations, we have also conducted training programs at SIRC. One such program is our annual Active Rehab Camp in which Dr. Tomasz Tasiemski (from the School of Physical Education at the National University of Poznan, Poland) provides training on wheelchair skills to both our patients and staff. Another such training program is conducted by Shivajeet Ragav, peer/sexuality counselor of ISIC. This program trains our peer counselors and other members of the Social Service Department about sexuality and fertility with regard to spinally injured persons.

Our staff has also received: computer skills training, English language training, and professional communication and management skills training.

In addition to receiving training, SIRC also provides training to students pursuing careers in the healthcare and rehabilitation sector. To date we have had nursing students from National Vision Nursing Campus and Stupa Nursing Campus attend student field-training with our Nursing Department. We have also had physiotherapy students from Dhulikhel Medical Institute intern with the Centre's Physiotherapy Department.

In order for SIRC to evolve, the Centre conducts "organization visits" so as to learn how other successfully established organizations operate. To date we have visited a range of organizations from hospitals to rehabilitation centres, both within and outside of Nepal.

Organization visits provide SIRC with the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn how other organizations operate. These visits have provided new insights about on management systems, staffing patterns, charity procedures, waste disposal systems for health care facilities, rehabilitation systems, etc. To date, SIRC has visited:

While attending the annual ISSICON, the SIRC staff also had the opportunity to visit the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in Delhi.

In December 2007, a team of four SIRC staff visited the Ho Chi Minh Hospital for Rehabilitation and Professional Diseases (HCM-HRPD) to learn how a similarly placed spinal injury centre as ours' responds to the challenges of spinal injury care.

Our Director, Esha Thapa, made observational visits from June 18 - July 9, 2007, to the Swiss Paraplegic Centre in Notwill, Switzerland, the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Ireland, and the Midlands Spinal Injury Centre in England.