Enterprise corner |
Letters
10 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| April 2012
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
‘I amoften told to come back after
surgery, but that doesn’t usually
mean I can see a doctor – it is just
to demonstrate that their time is
worthmore thanmine.’
GPS NEED
REALITY CHECK
I read with interest your conference
reports on the role of GPs in
treatment and recovery. Yes, GPs
‘can be an effective catalyst to
someone’s recovery journey’, as
Rebecca Daddow says in Treating the
whole person (DDN, March, page 13).
But the emphasis here, I think,
should be on can.
Like others in the sector, I’ve seen
the situation from both sides – more
years than I care to remember as a
service user and now the best part of a
decade as a drug worker. Yes there is a
problem with GPs not being contracted
to work with drugs and alcohol, as
Steve Brinksman says (DDN, March,
page 12), and with lack of specialist
knowledge, and it’s to be welcomed that
SMMGP are addressing this by calling
for drug and alcohol training to be
included in doctors’ training as a matter
of course. But what I have more of an
issue with is the attitude of many GPs.
Much of the extensive literature
around stigmatising problematic drug
and alcohol users talks about the
patronising, arrogant and
contemptuous attitude of healthcare
professionals towards people with
substance use issues, but isn’t the
problem simply that – with many GPs
– this attitude can often extend
beyond the drug-using population to
include all their patients, particularly
those who may struggle to articulate
their concerns within their allotted
seven-minute consultation or lack the
confidence of the well-informed,
middle class professional?
Until some GPs start seeing all of
their patients as real people with real
problems and concerns, and not an
unfortunate irritant to be dealt with
before pocketing the £200k salary,
there is, I’m afraid, a very long way to
go before they become ‘crucial to the
recovery process’.
Name and address supplied
OK FOR SOME
I would like to feel hopeful when I read
the article Doctor can you hear me
(DDN, March, page 12). But I have
spent nearly 12 years being messed
about by my GPs’ surgery and the
receptionists treat me like a nuisance.
I am often told to come back after
surgery, but that doesn’t usually mean
I can see a doctor – it is just to
demonstrate that their time is worth
more than mine. I have changed
doctors twice within the practice but
the situation has not improved – they
seem to have warned each other that
I am a second class patient. I was
actually told by one receptionist ‘why
don’t you move house then’. I would if
I had the choice.
I come out of that surgery feeling
demoralised every time. If it wasn’t
for needing the medicines I do, they
wouldn’t see me for dust.
Name and address supplied
THERE IN SPIRIT
I was unable to attend the Together
We Stand conference last month. This
was the first DDN service user
involvement conference that I have
missed, and while I was very
ENTERPRISE CORNER
POWER OF THE COLLECTIVE
Challenging times need collaborative
solutions, says Amar Lodhia
WE ARE IN SOME TORRID ECONOMIC TIMES
, but
as much as many businesses suffered serious
damage, some have come out stronger than
ever. Over the last three years we have been
working with more than 100 entrepreneurs, 60
senior business leaders, 15 corporate partners
across 12 local authorities and two cities to
create positive change in local communities. We
have been extremely fortunate to have the
support of valuable corporate partners, who
have given us both financial and in-kind support,
including time provided by legal experts, venue
space for events and free domain names and
websites provided to our participants. This form of giving is expressed in
what we may call collective ambition – it describes how businesses, their
leaders, the entrepreneurs that own them and the employees that drive
them think about their collective purpose. It is about how they collaborate to
achieve their ambitions in a way that aligns with not just their core values
and brand, but also the associations they make with charity and social
enterprise partners.
Our supporters have shown that there are companies that do not just fall
into the trap of pursuing a single ambition, such as profits. Instead their
owners, employees and leaders are given flexibility to collaborate with
stakeholders including the local and wider community, to shape a collective
ambition that surpasses individual goals and takes into account the key
elements required to achieve and sustain excellence – while making a social
impact. Businesses are not just employers, or solely profit driven, but a force for
positive change.
Recently while discussing the power of the collective with Nuzhat, head of
DAAT strategy for Outer North East London, he said: ‘In order to inspire and
influence local authority decision makers, third sector organisations need to be
thought leaders. They must approach local authorities as partners, however
they should take the bull by the horns and lead. Business plays such an
important role in the recovery of service users. There is, however, a huge gap in
providing the skills necessary to start and develop a business. We really need
think about how we can fill this gap. Empowering service users to start skilled
and practical businesses and trades is crucial. Collaboration with large well-
known organisations and local authorities will be key for these startups in order
to breakdown the barriers and gain the trust of local communities.’
Earlier this month, we sent two DAAT clients enrolled on our E=MC2
programme to spend a week with Microsoft UK, one of our supporters. The
week, organised as part of an initiative called ‘Britain Works’ was to support
people to learn more about Microsoft and what they do, as well as develop key
employability, presentation and communication skills. One of the participants
said, ‘We did things like learn sign language, which was really good and
different. We also learned about the importance of body language and how to
use it.’
As Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, said: ‘Recognise that a
fairer world is better for the soul and the bottom line... I have never believed
that business was a separate compartment from civilising in the world. That is
why I have always been an activist, an agitator and an entrepreneur.’
We’d love to hear your views on the Power of Giving. Join in the
conversation at ddn@tsbccic.org.uk and follow us on Twitter @TSBCLondon
using the #tag DDNews
Amar Lodhia is chief executive of The Small Business Consultancy (TSBC)
LETTERS
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