This blog is about my thoughts on my own experience of breast cancer and becoming disabled, on self care, my passion for improving health and healthcare and about heartful leadership in all areas of life.
Monday 3 August 2015
The Citadel: the pursuit of health
http://www.scotsman.com/news/audrey-birt-we-must-invest-in-well-being-1-3847181
I wrote this article in response to some of the articles and comments about the crisis in general practice. In particular I wanted to widen the argument beyond the everyday reality of access to general practice and to recognise that we wont solve issues by just investing in more of the same. Investment is of course important but lets look at the bigger picture too.
We have an opportunity to do that just now. A national conversation is about to begin on the future of health and social care, lets ensure we challenge ourselves and others to approach this with vision and not be afraid to have the difficult conversations either. Lets raise the conversation beyond that of crisis to one of what would we like to achieve to enable us to thrive. I'm excited by that prospect, and hope others will be too.
The photo is from the novel by AJ Cronin, The Citadel from the 1930's.He wrote it to challenge the system of medical care at the time and it was credited with helping to set the conditions for the welfare state. The challenges now are different but like AJ Cronin describes, wellbeing lies not in the delivery of medicines but in community and in the interconnectedness of work, food, relationships and so much more. In the pursuit of a healthy society lets not limit our ambitions. If one novel can change things so can we.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Scanxiety?
It’s not peculiar to cancer but waiting for results can be the worst time of all. Last week I had really quite bad scanxiety. Yes it’s so ...
-
Cara Cara means friend and you were the best friend to us. Your adoptive family whose lives you changed. Your runs were the like the wind...
-
I told myself off today for wearing black so I put on a white T-shirt instead. A mistake! I’ve a head cold and I’m a wee bit wabbit as my gr...
-
Ben Nevis and the glory of the mountains surrounding. It’s that time again for scans and result...