My GP practice in the West Midlands was the first to work with artists in residence - our initial projects have mushroomed into the whole "arts in primary health care" movement.
I have always felt most comfortable in places that mark a boundary - the sea shore, the dawn, sunset, the company of people on the edge of insanity. As a GP within the NHS I live with uncertainty every day. Places such as the sea shore are so interesting because you never know what you wil find and also what may happen there.
I would like to see Health Literacy become as important in peoples lives in the UK and beyond as learning to drive a car or learning to read and write - where Health Literacy means the capacity to search for , find and understand and act on health information bringing benefits to self,family and community where the definition of health information goes well beyond medical information to include information about how to set up play areas if there are none , what to look for when choosing a nursing home for an elderly relative , where to find "anger management" courses and so on. I believe very passionately that the responsibility for this development lies more with Local Government and CABESpace than with the NHS.
