Training needs analysis of surgical teams in Somaliland

McKnight, Gerard, Daoud, Hassan Ali, Friebel, Rocco and Hargest, Rachel 2025. Training needs analysis of surgical teams in Somaliland. British Journal of Surgery 112 (S15) , xv43-xv49. 10.1093/bjs/znaf216

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Abstract

Introduction Prioritizing resources is essential for low-income countries aiming to improve surgical systems effectively. Few validated tools exist to facilitate this. The authors aimed to address this through the novel application of an existing training needs analysis (TNA) tool to a surgical context in a low-income country. Methods A questionnaire was designed as a mixed-methods, online survey to capture quantitative and qualitative data based on the Hennessy–Hicks training needs analysis (HHTNA) Questionnaire. The survey was distributed by collaborating organizations in Somaliland. Results Responses were received from 41 anaesthesia providers (APs) and 69 surgical providers (SPs), giving a response rate of approximately 59% of APs, 33% of surgeons, and 21% of obstetricians in Somaliland. The HHTNA of APs highlighted that emergency front of neck access (cricothyroidotomy) was a ‘high intervention priority’ procedure among APs. Regional anaesthesia, medical management of co-morbidities, and anaesthesia in geriatric populations were also considered performance outliers and should also be the focus of further intervention. Importantly, mixed interventions were desired, indicating that training alone would be insufficient, and that improvements to the work situation also need to be addressed. Conclusion This study has demonstrated that conducting a pragmatic TNA of the surgical team in a low-resource setting, such as Somaliland, is both feasible and can generate useful data to guide training and professional development.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Medicine
Publisher:	Oxford University Press (OUP)
ISSN:	0007-1323
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	16 December 2025
Date of Acceptance:	2 September 2025
Last Modified:	16 Dec 2025 12:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/183281

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