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I was pleased to attend the Cumbria Recovery day on Friday 29th January 2010.
It was good to see that there was healthy interest in recovery and that many professionals and service users attended from the area, I believe the count was around 150. Mark Gilman covered the ROIS model and one thing that stood out for me was he said “look in the mirror and ask yourself if you would put a close family member or indeed yourself through the treatment system that you work in?”
That’s it in a nutshell for me, if we treat service users with the same respect and passion as we treat our own family then recovery will become more of a reality by default.
Another message that was loud and clear to me is that the room had a high percentage of experts on recovery. I’m not talking professionals who went to Uni and spent 4 to 7 years getting a degree, I’m talking people with a more valuable qualification. People who experienced the pain, lost dignity, had broken families, stole to support a habit, attended treatment and eventually found recovery.
It sometimes seems that the service user’s voice is the quietest but in actuality it is they that understand the cycle we are trying to implement more than anyone.
Go to the AA and NA meetings and hear the stories of hope, joy and freedom and involve the service user who has walked the road. Recovered service users and volunteers are often seen to do most good in the front line as they can relate to the person in pain.
If they are so effective at ground zero should we not recognise the service users as professionals with practical expertise and involve them in planning and implementing recovery?
Ken – join the site and blog all in one day – I like it.
And I also like this blog – I think it encapsulates very clearly some key messages which have been bubbling through the community lately. I will try to draw these together in my weekly round up tomorrow.
As an aside it is great to have you here. Welcome, welcome and thrice welcome. Not sure where that came from – sounds good though.
We have actually met – I came down to Warrington with the Tameside crew a few months ago. So hello! Hope all is good with you and yours.
Ken, welcome to the site.
Amen, amen and thrice amen! (Taking your lead Michaela).
We are singing from the same hymnsheet here.
Ken,
It was a great day and we always learn from these events. It was encouraging that people felt able to ask questions such as : “surely a fully functioning human being should be able to have a few drinks now and then?” All this talk about addicts helping addicts etc “If you went to hospital with a broken leg would you ask the nurse if she had had a broken leg before you let her help you?” “There’s a lot of religion in this recovery business – whats all that about?” Great day
Pucker ken, a man of my heart! wish there where more individuals with your insight.
Am new to site and blogs like this keeps bringing me back, make sure you keep coming back as well! (sorry sounds like a order? not meant to but a welcome!)
Ken,
I am currently doing research on this very subject. It’s something that I really believe in (the involvement of (ex) service users at every level).
Like Mark the analogy of a broken leg always get my back up. There IS peer support in other forms of medicine, there are people who have recovered from diseases such as cancer who help those who have just been diagnosed come to terms with it. I think there is a place for both clinical expertise and practical experience. It is not all about “treatment” but also having someone that you can identify with. It shouldn’t be a case of either or, but of clinicians and peer supporters working together.
Unfortunately not everyone sees it this way
Matt
Hear hear!
Ken
Just more echoes, time for the a greater recognition of a more diverse understanding of expert, treatment, recovery and right to participate.
Cheers
“If they are so effective at ground zero should we not recognise the service users as professionals with practical expertise and involve them in planning and implementing recovery?”
BANG ON mate!
A big hearty welcome to Wired In too.
Love and Light
Phil
Yes!!
