I am utterly convinced that the only way forward for providers of service and service users is to work in Partnership together.
Partnership to me requires vision and this vision is central to the outcoming partnership. The nature of the relationship we develop and the goals we set is influenced by the vision we hold. And I believe our vision will be influenced by our underlying value base.
My vision for services is equitable partnership based on the Principal of Unconditional Valuing. For me there are three core elements which must be in place for this to work. These are :
Hope
Both the service provider and the service user need to have hope in the relationship itself - that it will offer something, that there will be some positive aspect to it, that it will be alive.
Respect
The need to be seen as a person is paramount - this is what respect is and it works two ways. To reach out in a new way - to risk relationship; feelings; open communication; honesty requires respect. It must be mutual and it is dynamic in partnership.
Trust
Without trust there is miscommunication, there is woundedness. There is defensiveness. there is no solid basis for relationship and growth.
Trust is so easily lost and so hard to build once damaged. Yet together both sides must, I believe, work to find a way to trust each other.
There is much more to creating equitable partnership i.e. contract and clear boundaries, however I believe hope, respect and trust are the essential underlying components and the rest will be able to flow if these are in place.
Recently I was admitted to hospital for an emergency operation. I was very concerned about how I would cope, because of my health and personal care needs. What impressed me so much was that I was listened to : my personal needs were respected : I was able to negotiate with staff about how I received my treatment : my fears and concerns were heard and the service I received was, I felt, one of partnership, where their expertise and my personal awareness of my condition were "married" together.
I had to trust and the outcome was that I came away feeling good about myself and my experience and hope was instilled within me - hope that this model is possible, even within a medical frame of reference. For me it was a new beginning.