Who can help where? Descriptive temporal analysis of patterns of UK urological engagement with low- and lower-middle-income countries

Objective: To characterise the geographical and clinical scope of Urolink activity, determine the career stage at which UK urologists engage with global urology, and assess patterns of repeated and sustained involvement with low- and lower-middle-income country partners. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of Urolink reports between 1999 and 2025 was undertaken. Data on host institutions, visit characteristics, clinical focus, professional grade, age at first engagement and subsequent participation were extracted. Descriptive statistics were used to examine temporal, geographical, clinical and professional patterns. Results: Of 104 identified visits, 98 with available reports were analysed, encompassing 28 centres in 22 countries. Endourology was the most frequently requested clinical expertise (23.7%), followed by reconstructive (9.9%), uro-gynaecological (6.9%) and paediatric urology (5.9%). Forty-five trainees and 52 consultants participated, at a median age at first engagement of 35 and 48 years, respectively. Repeat participation was substantially more common among consultants than trainees (30.9% vs 6.7%). Conclusion: UK global urological engagement spans multiple career stages and evolves with host-centre capabilities. Longitudinal partnerships appear particularly important for transferring specialist expertise and developing local skills. Future programmes should align host-defined needs with appropriate career-stage expertise and prospectively gather information about local capacity for sustainable development.