Pathways @ Inverurie Health Centre
Pathways, an experimental GP referral scheme, began in April 2006 with the appointment of Susan T Grant as artist in residence at Inverurie Health Centre.
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Susan worked with individual service users exploring the effect of creative activity on conditions influenced by stress and anxiety. Service users include those suffering from migranes and IBS as well as those who are facing a difficult phase such as the menopause or adolescence. |
Pathways was intended as an enabling process for individuals to consider change in their lives. It was hoped that by embracing this opportunity, patients' feelings of stress and anxiety would be reduced and thereby the negative impact that these emotions have on their medical condition and lives.
Initially, Susan led small workshops in creativity, experimentation and play to challenge individuals to consider themselves and their lives from a new perspective. She then progressed to working on a one to one collaborative basis with five participants to produce final works. These works have now been installed in the Health Centre, improving the environment for all users in the building.
A secondary aspect of the project has been the involvement Susan has had with the Health Centre staff. Worshops were integrated within training, Protected Learning Time, leading to a series of photography workshops with eleven members of the team. The participants documented positive and negative aspects of their workplace. This activity provided staff with the possibility to raise issues and potentially instigate change within the centre as a result.
Pathways has now been completed and the project has proved a success for the Health Centre and the participants. A new two year project, Mindspace, is now being developed by Inverurie Medical Group, BOX arts and wellbeing agency, NSF (Scotland) and Aberdeenshire Council. Mindspace will use high quality visual arts activities to enhance the well being and support the recovery of service users suffering from mental ill health in both primary and secondary care in Aberdeenshire.
Pathways was a collaboration between Inverurie Medical Group and BOX arts and wellbeing agency.
Pathways was funded through the Scottish Arts Council's partners programme, and by the Bright Futures Fund, Grampian Hospitals Arts Trust, NHS Grampian Endowments, Gordon Forum for the Arts and Aberdeenshire Council.
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Visit our partners area for information on other projects funded through the partners programme. |
partners: Scotland's Artist Residency Programme is supported by the National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council |