Stamford GP champions mental health issues
Stamford GP Dr Dan Petrie is passionate about promoting good mental health and was instrumental in setting up the town's Mindspace charity.
Its work is providing the inspiration for current mental health projects in the Four Counties Primary Care Network, which serves 44,174 Lakeside patients in Stamford and Bourne.
Dan, who trained as a doctor with the Royal Air Force, has a long-standing interest in mental health issues. He set up Mindspace five years ago to engage the community in the 'Five Ways to Wellbeing.' Since initial meetings in the town hall, which attracted around 50 people, the charity now has its own premises in the town and runs a drop in café, walks, listening services and promotes self-care and support, both face to face and online.
Dan, who has been a GP at Stamford for six years, and is also Mental Health Lead for Lincolnshire, said:
'Mindspace developed because people had a need for something positive to combat isolation and loneliness. There are many aspects as to why people seek help, including not having trusted people to talk to, or not knowing even how to bring up issues, such as relationship breakdown, trauma and unresolved issues from the past.'
Mindspace works on the core principles of Connect, Give, Learn, Be Active and Take Notice. It complements the work of healthcare practitioners and gives people strategies and support to achieve good mental health.
Dan said:
'We will be using what we have learned and developed at Mindspace over the years across our Primary Care Network, so its work has been hugely positive for the area. The health service is so much more than just people seeing GPs as we have a wide network of practitioners who help people, from social prescribers, psychiatrists and district nurses, so it is providing a network of support across our region. It is a hugely exciting initiative and anything that we can do to promote mental health is to the benefit both of individuals and our communities.
'The thing I love about being a GP is being holistic and focusing on the whole person including their mental and emotional health. We are social beings and the whole reasoning behind Mindspace was to give people a way to connect and thrive.'