A change of pace.

This is my last week working as a locum doctor for a Maori trust in the far north of NZ. I have really enjoyed myself. I asked one of the practice nurses the other day what the essential difference between Maori and Pakeha is. You guys think you own the land - we think the land owns us. Maybe we Pakeha culd do with a drop of Maori blood.

The health game will not succeed while it's a top down affair - when those supplying the services are basically telling those receiving them what the story is. Health has to do with feeling in charge of one's life with being helped yes but with help that enables, uplifts and empowers - not an easy game to play when many unwell people are stuck in an apparent "can not be bothered frame of mind".

Of course its not really I can not be bothered - there's always more to it than meets the eye. Life is very very harsh for some people. Try being unwell with no resources, no money in the bank, rent due, eviction coming, cancer spreading and loved ones fleeing. Try geting out of any hole when its too deep and got slippery sides.

When both my legs are broken I can not walk you dumb bugger. Expecting me to earn a buck to pay you before you fix my legs is absurd!

Metaphorically speaking many of us have broken mental legs and these are not that easy to fix.

Polypharmacy is not the way to go - what an absurd waste of resources.