What if we viewed lived experience as an asset? As an asset of professional, economic,…
IHUG/ESNEFT User Group Celebration & Workshop; 12/10/18
Fantastic day today at the IHUG (Ipswich Hospital User Group) celebration at Ipswich Hospital today where I was giving a presentation and then supporting their workshop afterwards.
In my speech I talked about my work and achievements, how I achieved them, empowering messages around enabling the patients and carers there to continue to develop their own personal advocacy/involvement/leadership work, what my words of advice are, what I feel are the key aspects of why I have been so successful and encouraging them to recognise and celebrate their own achievements. Although aimed at the user group members in the room, it also had key points, messages and information aimed at the professionals in attendance. Then we had a lovely 10 minutes with me answering questions and discussing things. It was well received and this pleased me no end – I talked a lot today about how much words can make an impact, how our stories are vital to making changes and how much we can impact and influence others – and I received such wonderful feedback, I really felt the room heard all the points I was making and I hope they will go away and benefit from what I said today.
It was fantastic meeting everyone, talking with them, sharing experiences and so on. I made some lovely connections and people hoping to have me to speak at their group or meeting including request to speak at an advocacy group, another in which a lady, a parent carer, asked if I could I come and speak at one of their meetings with professionals in her area, and one asking if I’d come and speak to their CCG about Continuing Healthcare, Personal Health Budgets, patient experience and how difficult and clunky current processes are and how they make the assessment, decision-making, package-building and reassessment process unnecessarily stressful and burdensome for the individual and their parents/carers. So I look forward to doing those. I also look forward to continue working with Gill Orves, who I met at an event in 2017 and who invited me to IHUG today. We share so many common views, perspectives, experiences and she is as dedicated, committed, passionate and hard-working as I am, so I do hope we have further opportunities to work together.
Molly was a superstar as always, she rises to every occasion, she brought a lot of smiles to today’s event and everyone loved meeting her and hearing about all her tasks. She is so good with people of all abilities and one lady with a learning disability was struggling to bend down and stroke Molly so she put her paws up on my lap and enabled her to say hello easily. Molly was spoilt rotten, she got some presents from everyone – one of which is a squeaky ball, so Molly is very much enjoying playing with it. So proud of her though. She does me proud every time and brings so much joy to everyone.
Thanks to IHUG for having me, for making us so welcome and for our lovely gifts too. Especially thanks to Gill Orves for inviting me and I hope there will be more opportunities for future collaboration.
With Gill Orves, Chair of IHUG
With Gill Orves, Chair of IHUG
With Gill Orves, Chair of IHUG
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Hi Lucy
I was so overwhelmed in listening to you and talking with you, and your mum (and Molly!). I was representing Colchester Hospital Patient Group at the IHUG celebration event last Friday. I did suggest that it would be lovely to be able to produce a film of your work, but it wasn’t until I went onto your website that I realised this had already been done!!
I am sure that we will meet up again and I have also circulated details of your website to all the other members of the Colchester Group.
Bless you Lucy
Robin