An NHS GP visited PFG, and the Wellness Centre told us how it affected him.
Last month, Ben Allen, an NHS leader and GP, popped into the Wellness Centre for a visit. In his own words, he describes the incredible work that the Wellness Centre and everyone at People Focused Group is doing.
The Wellness Centre is an open door, where everyone is welcome, regardless of disability, ethnicity or economic status. It is also a place that recognises everyone has the potential to contribute.
A place of dignity, not charity. Rather than fostering dependency, it develops people’s capacity, pride, and generates acts of love in all directions: food, physical activity and connection.
A buzz of kindness, hope and restoration.
And this is the home of People Focussed Group (PFG). A network of ‘People who help People’. They have an increasing role in supporting Rotherham Doncaster & South Humber Foundation Trust through bringing the community voice into NHS decision making.
They also bring expertise in bringing ‘peer support’ into RDaSH. If you have a medical problem, you may benefit from a doctor. However, you may also benefit from connecting with someone who has lived with the same medical problem, or who has walked a similar journey. With support from PFG, peer support is becoming increasingly available within RDaSH.
Glyn Butcher, one of the managing directors, has experienced trauma, and lives with multiple physical and mental health problems. It is this that compels and drives him, to ensure other people don’t have to go through what he has.
He joins the Clinical Executive Board meetings, faithfully bringing his ‘living’ experience. He brings pragmatic questions, rooted in the reality of what our decisions mean for people. It is always refreshing, valuable and grounding. Kelly Hicks has led the work for many years, all deeply informed by her social work background.
As a medic, I bring science and NHS resources into patient care. With it, I also bring privilege power and, at times, I’m disconnected with the experience my patients have.
PFG bring a deep understanding of the local, social reality of people’s lives, the living experience, as well as a grasp of what our dignified patients can do for themselves.
When professionals share some of our power and privilege, which can be uncomfortable, we can form rich and effective partnerships with our patients and our communities.
PFG is all about People helping People. I’m certainly a person that needs these people. Their door is open to you too.