The last several months has made all of us acutely aware, for better or for worse, of our health. Covid19 and its impact on nearly all aspects of our lives have made our physical and mental health a daily priority. Staying healthy has never been more important.
And never before have we been so aware of contagious disease and its terminology – our knowledge and vocabularies have expanded as we absorb reports on viral load, antibodies, comorbidities, R factors and more. For some, knowledge is power, but for others, it breeds anxiety.
Most of us, thankfully, have stayed healthy during the pandemic and Mortlake has demonstrated its many attributes in supporting good health.
With daily exercise one of the few approved reasons to leave home during lockdown , we have taken up walking, running and cycling with gusto. Gym closures and good weather have played a contributing role, and it looks like these activities have become routine parts of life in Mortlake, as many have discovered or rediscovered the delights of the Thames towpath, Mortlake Green and Richmond Park and their abundance of clean air and green space.
As restaurants closed, we’ve all become home cooks, sourcing our provisions from a wide range of local suppliers. Mortlake has provided us well in this regard: Tesco, M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s continually stocked and open; local restaurants shifting to takeaway and providing essential groceries in bulk; volunteers coming forward to ensure our most vulnerable residents are provided for. Many of us shared our recipes and sourdough photos on Nextdoor and local Facebook groups, and we have all become more conscious of what and how we eat.
We’ve also become more respectful of each other’s health, practicing social distancing, isolating when advised to, and gradually adapting to wearing facemasks on public transport and in enclosed spaces. There appears to be a growing acceptance that public health is shared, and “I protect you, you protect me” is increasingly embraced as we don our facial coverings.
How has our experience of staying healthy this year shaped our expectations of living in Mortlake? Has Mortlake been a healthier place to live over the last few months? Do we have a “health infrastructure” that gives us confidence in maintaining our individual and collective health? And how will the local population growth from the redevelopment of the Mortlake Brewery affect this?
I spoke with Susanne Bauer, Practice Manager of the Sheen Lane Health Centre which provides primary care services to 11,900 patients in the East Sheen/Mortlake area, about community health now and in the future.
The experience of lockdown and continued presence of Covid19 has changed the Centre’s practice, starting with the essential change of making the surgery itself a Covid-free zone, which has led to additional changes affecting the delivery of healthcare. Telephone consultations have been one of the most visible changes, and while these have worked well for many patients, there is a distinct group of patients with chronic conditions that require continual monitoring delivered in the surgery, so a number of new approaches have been designed and implemented to accommodate this group. Susanne pointed out that patients have been positive and adaptable during the pandemic. Many have supported remote care by introducing home devices such as blood pressure monitors and digital health apps. A patient survey published in May showed high levels of awareness of the surgery’s services during the pandemic, and is available here.
So while the surgery has been both adaptable and highly engaged with its patients during the pandemic, Susanne emphasises that it is at absolute capacity and any new growth in the community will require additional resources to provide existing levels of care. Funding for more clinicians and the space to acommodate them will be necessary for the surgery to support the growth in residents that the brewery redevelopment will bring.
Our health is a human right and while we are blessed here in Mortlake with many features that support good health, we must be conscious of the growth that will happen over the next ten years and ensure that this enhances rather than compromises our public health. As we’ve all come to appreciate this year, our health is shaped by the world around us; the homes we live in, the places we work; the support we have access to in tough times. And when our world is designed with health in mind, communities can thrive.
The forthcoming Mayor’s consultation is an opportunity to inject these issues into local discussion around the new development. How do we feel about its density? Do we understand its impact on local health services? Is the design one that supports healthy behaviours?
We look forward to hearing your views.
In the meantime, here’s to your good health!
Clare Delmar