AKA, Please see me as the unique person I am.

We are all people; we have our own lives, and while we may share things in common, we have unique experiences that influence how we think, feel, and respond to situations.

This video below was put together as part of a Catalyst for Change programme in partnership with Queen Margaret University, QNIS, and the voices of lived experience. It is a podcast sharing what COPE Scotland heard from people around them and what would be helpful for them when receiving services. There is a particular emphasis on the experiences of people living with a mental health condition when receiving a physical health intervention and what would help them feel less anxious.

We also created a Pyramid of Characteristics with the voices of lived experience, who shared the qualities they sought from people offering support. A copy of this is shared in this piece.

 It is also important to reflect on the needs of those staff who offer support, who are also people. In addition to their role in work, they too may be living with a long-term condition, caring for someone they love, and facing the challenges of a cost-of-living crisis. This was why we were delighted to partner again with QNIS during the pandemic to offer well-being tools and resources to nurses and those in health and social care. The well-being section of the QNIS website continues to grow, and we invite you to visit it.

Recognising people as unique individuals is necessary if we are to make person-centred care a reality. We must also consider the well-being needs of those who work in health and social care and provide those services. Working within health and care does not give people immunity from their health challenges, the health challenges of a loved one, or the cost-of-living crisis. Those who use and provide services value feeling nurtured and cared for. How that is expressed may vary, but the feeling that you are recognised for being you and are more than a CHI (Community Health Index number), NI number, National Insurance, or PAYE number is important.

Work is already being done to improve person-centred care and address the wellbeing needs of the workforce. It matters though we are comfortable saying what works and what maybe needs to change even more. The more we understand the needs of those who use and provide services, the greater the improvements and outcomes for all. This is why we are delighted to convene the staff wellbeing special interest group within the Q Community, to provide a safe space for those working in health and social care to share ideas and learn from each other. It is also why we continue to be led by lived experience because the more we understand each other, the more we recognise the values each of us have, and the more nurtured we feel by the actions of others and our self-care. While life may still hurt at times and life may be stressful, we may all suffer a little less and have an improved sense of well-being, which enables us to experience those moments of joy that can help sustain us when life is challenging.

''We are all more than just numbers''