Introduction to blog

A brief introduction 

My name is Neil Harmer. I am 53, married to Anne for almost twenty five years we have three sons and I work for the NHS. I have previously worked as a general nurse (RGN), a registered mental nurse (RMN), community psychiatric nurse (CPN), and now as an accredited Cognitive Behavioral Therapist (CBT) though I am taking time off from my regular job as a clinician having being diagnosed on 4th Jan 2013. with having “brain tumors”.

I am therefore prohibited from driving anywhere and get various symptoms including visual disturbances, fatigue and some disorientation. I am starting this blog, whilst I am still able.

I am motivated by wanting to

1)    Describe an honest account of the care I am receiving and will continue to receive whilst reflecting upon care provided in the past to family and friends and in my professional capacity. Hopefully this will balance some of the negative publicity the NHS has undergone in recent months-year.  I believe there are viable ways to improve the image of the NHS and to ensure that current good practice which is no doubt occurring twenty four seven in hundreds of thousands of daily contacts in care provision settings by millions of dedicated and wonderful people (the vast majority) and the term I have chosen to capture this will be the 'HeArt of Caring' In time I hope to describe what I mean by this and how this can be shared and demonstrated across all aspects of delivery. I believe there are affordable and simple methods for doing this and I hope if everyone involved; across all stakeholders and representative groups - users, carers’ professionals, commissioners and providers might learn and share.

There are so many dedicated and brilliant people already on this case so I must apologies if I come across as being patronizing or conceited, I mean no harm.

2) I expect that I will personally benefit in the knowledge that others may gain some benefit from hearing about my experience of coping with such life changing and devastating news there by my legacy to you and other readers will come from what you chose to take from this. This is entirely up to you and your responsibility (see the disclaimer below which applies throughout) any positive comments will be well received. I might not have much time left to address criticisms therefore you best limit these. Please try to consider adopting and respecting my own personal ratio of 3:1. If I am going to criticise something, I try and look for at least three positives to emphasis in parallel

3) I also need a forum to communicate my progress and situation to anyone who wants to know so that the phone use, emails & visits are managed at the optimum level, balancing my own needs and those of Anne, the boys, family, friends and those in my professional capacity.

 Until I have had my biopsy next Friday I have no real idea about treatment or, prognosis.

 I apologies in advance for the spelling and grammar which I attribute in part to my limited education, ongoing self tuition for a large part and family history of dyslexia plus the inevitably affect of the lesions on my cognitive faculties and perception. However I need to crack on and get stuff done whilst I can.

My Values & approach to my current situation: that I hope will guide include:

·       Common sense

·       Fairness.

·       All of us working together towards are shared aims &those with the broadest shoulders playing their full part in building a better society

·       Equal opportunity for all those able to contribute to society and a helping hand for those who genuinely are in need

·       Honesty; trust.

·        Compassion for those around me and self.

·        Empathetic non judgmental stance, openness,

·       cause no harm,

·        Help for those in need, especially for the vulnerable in our society.

·        I am responsibility for taking care of myself; and those dependent on me.

·         Account for my actions to the best of my abilities.

·        Fair reward for work;

·        Care for fellow citizens beginning with immediate family, friends, neighbors and the wider community. 

·       Nurture each other

·       Open mindedness & flexibility

·       Moderation and middle ground rather than extremism ,fundamentalism

·       Peaceful non violence

·       Warmth and sensitivity  

I will try to be as apolitical as possible, though a few disclosures first: I am a card-carrying member of the Labour party, UNISON (previously COHSE) as well as CAMRA, The Equality Trust, the Co-operatives Party, Fabians (Cambridge) and The Friends of American Old Time Music and Dance and secretary of a local neighborhood group Romsey Action. I really struggle with the concept of “profiteering”(making loads of money out of misfortune &exploitation, particularly  health /social care provision. And where this negatively impacts &what I consider as ‘the HeArt of caring’ ‘which is what I believe it mainly boils down to. Something felt, visceral and therefore difficult to measure, quantify and put a price on. However recognizable to the observer and when experienced by the receiver such that it stirs emotions, sometimes tears when we witness kindness and tenderness between our fellow humans

This is such a complex notion I integrate the terms ‘heart’ and ‘art’ purposefully. Those of you already working in the field will appreciate the significance of this and others will hopefully come on board and we all learn from each other’s experiences and expertise.

I would like to think I have common sense when it comes to all matters which I believe the vast majority of people in the UK aspire to and is perhaps one of the most unifying and common shared values in Britain today. I support various charities including Amnesty international and Medicins sans Frontiers 

I am not particularly religious and if asked to label myself, would settle for humanist. 

Motivation is to support the NHS and all those in need of its care and to contribute to the ongoing improvements in care provision inform through Education how we (all stakeholders; patients, users, carers, relatives, employees) all need to take responsibility for care provision. Also, to have an outlet for coping with what I and my family are going through at this difficult time

Confidentiality: I will endeavor to maintain colleague/family/patient confidentiality to the best of my ability and have no intention to cause harm or offence 

Disclaimer:

Any views or statements contained in this blog are entirely the opinions of the author and in no way should be construed as being endorsed or connected to any websites or organisations linked or mentioned within. The author makes no claims to the accuracy or validity of statements contained within. 

Contact:

I can be contacted through the blog. However I can make no guarantees of being able to reply (which may become increasingly more difficult)

Trolling, griefing, harassment, bullying, abuse, flaming, spamming, extremism, or anything I don't like - will be ignored and if necessary reported to an appropriate authority.

Resources: I am currently resourcing this project myself with the help of family & friends. However if this position changes, I will provide guidance .At best I might be able to accept donations to the blog to support the project as it develops and would use any funding to cover costs as a not for profit operation with any excess going to Macmillan . This will be updated and managed by the blog & myself with guidance from sensible trusted people

Neil Harmer

7/1/13