About
The official site of the Association of Slovak healthcare professionals and their friends in the UK and Slovakia. Our mission is to be a connecting and supportive network, to inform and educate. We provide the platform for collaboration of healthcare professionals and students in the UK and abroad.
Our History
Beginnings
Coming from a small (but beautiful) country like Slovakia, it is always pleasure to meet likeminded fellow citizens. However, it was not until the pandemic, when the social isolation and struggle prompted us to create a network of Slovak and Czech doctors working in the UK, on Facebook, in 2020. And it went on from there. In 2021 we opened up to other healthcare colleagues, nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, and others. Our hope is to be a platform to share experiences of our work and life in the UK and Slovakia.
“It is health that is the real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver.”
The Team
helena aziri
Founder/President
MUDr. Mgr. Helena Aziri is a Consultant Psychiatrist at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. Before coming to the UK in 2012, she completed her medical degree at the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University in
Bratislava, Slovakia, alongside her Masters studies in French language and literature, and marketing communication at the Faculty of Philosophy of Comenius University. She worked at the Psychiatric clinic of the University
Hospital in Bratislava, doing research on schizophrenia. She is now working on a project on treatment-resistant schizophrenia with Professor David Taylor of King’s College, London. In her daily practice, she supervises medical students and junior doctors. Helena is also a member of CZ and SK Club in the UK.
katarina harrison tvarozkova
Co-founder/Vice-President
MUDr. Katarina Harrison Tvarozkova, MRCOG, is a Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lead of Fetal Medicine at Somerset Trust. Before coming to the UK in 2008, she completed her medical degree at the Faculty of Medicine Of Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. Katarina joined run through training in obstetrics and gynaecology in North East London Deanery and obtained CCT with advanced training in foetal medicine and high risk obstetrics. Katarina has been instrumental in setting up and running Preterm birth clinic and Multiple pregnancies clinic. As fellow, she worked in Harris Birthright Centre under Professor Kypros Nicoloides. She is very passionate about women’s health not only during antenal period but in postanatal time, too. She is a member of the London Leaders of postnatal care.
dana klamparova bowcott
Vice-President
Dana has been living in the UK since 1998, and since completion of her Diploma of higher education in Nursing in 2004, has been working as a nurse in Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust. She is a Founder and Chair of the Association of Slovak educational centres in the UK and organiser of cultural events for Slovak and Czech community, predominantly in Birmingham region. Amongst other things, Dana is an active basketball player and part of Team GB.
ondrej obediar
secretary general
Charity Director, Health & Wellbeing Lead, Psychologist – counsellor, psychotherapist, University Lecturer at LTU – Health and social care programs and mental health. . Originating from Slovakia, Ondrej studied at Liverpool and Salford universities and has graduated with Bsc.(Hons) Psychology and MSc Applied Psychology (Therapies), Pg. dip. at LJMU, Pg. dip. in counselling and psychotherapy at Chrysalis. Since graduating he has been successfully working as a Job Coach for the NHS. He is a Health and Well-Being lead and director for Growing Togetherness CIC. He has his private practice based in Manchester. His area of interest is how nature helps to improve individual’s mental health, stress in the workplace, mental health and using lifestyle coaching he can help you adapt to a more sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle.
edita otahalova searle
Chief advisor
Edita Otáhalová Searle works as a specialty doctor in general adult psychiatry, in Early Intervention in Psychosis Team at the Gloucestershire Health and Care Trust. Edita completed her medical degree at 1st Faculty of Medicine at Charles University in Prague. She came to UK in 2011 and worked for Sussex Partnership as an adult age psychiatrist until 2019.
Our Values
Vision
We value respect, compassion and trust.
Mission
Share knowledge and support the community
Motto
We believe that many good people can achieve more good things when they work together.
