Health Minister Norman Lamb visited a doctors’ surgery in Hove this week after hearing about its innovative approach from Baroness Shirley Williams.
The Brighton Health and Wellbeing Centre describes itself as one of Britain’s first NHS GP practices to integrate conventional medicine with complementary therapies and healing arts.
Patients at the surgery told the minister about the benefits of things like singing, dancing and art therapy and how the practice encouraged their physical and mental health and wellbeing.
One said that the doctors didn’t just write a prescription for medicine. And another shed tears as she praised the benefits of the treatment she had received there.
Laura Marshall-Andrews, the senior partner, said that she wanted to encourage wellness rather than just treat illness.
Dr Marshall-Andrews said: “We’re trying to deliver public health from primary care.”
And she added that she and her colleagues were trying to promote a health-creating society rather than a health depleting country.
Mr Lamb said: “How many GP practices in the country have patients singing in the surgery? It’s a totally different mindset.
“I’ve been fascinated by this innovative approach. It’s more open-minded. Many patients have entrenched problems. I’ve been enormously impressed today.
“I want the NHS to embrace this, particularly with patients with mental health and long-term physical problems.
“Whether it’s with art, music or dance, it doesn’t just have to be about medicine.”
On Monday the practice is due to be featured on a BBC Radio 4 programme about the future of the NHS. The programme, the first in a series of five, is scheduled to be broadcast from 1.45pm to 2pm.
Apparently Norman Lamb actually wanted to visit them last week, but they had no appointments but they also couldn’t book him as far ahead as yesterday so he just had to ring up at 8:30 and ask for an emergency slot.