The NHS and social care along with other services face
major challenges. There are financial, economic and social issues affecting the
care people need. In this difficult period we are faced with different views
and options for the future. In this post, myself and Pria will reflect on two themes which
seem to us so vital. They are our vision and the tools to help us make it real.
The future will be decided not only by what we do, it
will be shaped by what we see now. Our vision will create what appears and
generate the ideas to realize it. The author, Joel Barker, says it well: "Vision
without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time.
Vision with action can change the world." We need to elaborate a vision of how
social care, health and other sectors can come together to create new ways of
working. How silos can fall and new integrated solutions be created to meet
need in the fastest and most effective caring manner. This vision would
enthusiastically embrace co-learning and co-work with patients and carers. It
could in alliance with people and communities work on a holistic approach to
those in need. The Maori people speak of well being. This is a fascinating word
as it is not well arm or well house or well mind but the whole person. The
Maori vision sees well being as a house with four walls; the physical, the
mental / emotional, the social and the spiritual ( in terms of meaning and
purpose ). This holistic vision offers the possibility of circular care where
all the four walls reverberate and work off each other. It is also circular as
it can only be delivered by different people and services working together in a
circle with and around the person. This vision could focus on the person first
and foremost. The phrase 'person centred care' is used a great deal today and
rightly so. However, we can only really have people centred care if we move away
from seeing people as problems. The challenge is to look through the problem to
the person and their gifts. This is a move to the person and their potential.
We live in a complex period. The words of Charles Dickens
in 'Tale of Two Cities' about another
historical period has an echo with us today. He writes, "It was the best of
times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
foolishness....it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us." This period includes austerity
but also great opportunities to really breakthrough old system thinking and
make a shift to better more humane perspectives and practice. Today is not a
time for despair but vision and action. The road will not be easy but we can
build or rather grow cultures and care that offer best solutions for all.
However we can only do this by thinking and doing what's needed in new
innovative and potent ways.
There are many tools to support this journey. We will
touch on two key skills that support the way forward. The first is to see that
the future lies all about us in the present. It is found wherever people care
and have passion. This folk represent what the future of our services could be. Recently I met an inspirational Doncaster GP who works in a
poor area. He shared the work that he was doing. He said he shook hands with
everyone who came into his surgery to welcome them and connect. He said one
Saturday a month he would have clinics for carers to reach out and be there
for them. The GP also shared that he
visited the well as the sick. This was well being work. This GP was creating
the forms of the future. These positive practices of really connecting with
patients, making space and support for carers and promoting wellness in the
community are a sign of what could be done and is being done. We need to
capture these wonderful innovative works and share them and ask what they say
to us.
The second help is the use of creative space and
dialogue. This is where people come together and develop a safe space where
trusting and listening discourse can occur. From these transformational hot
spots come ideas, inspiration , actions and positive changes. Are the meetings
we attend or set up creative dialogical spaces? If we are not learning in them
or finding creative energy and visions there then probably not. We need to
develop the art of dialogical exchange. Our good NHS colleague, Dr Maxine Craig, speaks of dialogic change. This is where change and creativity occurs in the
locus of authentic and open sharing. It's amazing how fresh thinking and
practice flow from deep dialogue and connection. When we experience it we feel
inspired and caught up in possibility.
The future offers us many challenges and openings. We
believe that the need of a vision that positively infects us all and calls
forth clear and courageous actions is central to where we need to go. We also
affirm that people of passion and vision and the power of dialogue are
mechanisms for the vision to become visible. To us the choice seems pretty
clear. We are will either be people of purpose and passion who make a great
future that works or we won't. That's the crossroads we stand at.
Pria Bhabra, Leeds Adult Social Care Commissioning, Leeds City Council
