A POET has written a poignant message of hope for a new flagship health centre in Glasgow that the poorest members of society will not continue to die prematurely.
Donny O’Rourke was commissioned to write poetry to go on display at the £12.4million health centre in Maryhill, which combines a number of services and is part of the government’s drive to give GPs an “enhanced” role in the community.
Three surgeries are under one roof at the new centre, with doctors overseeing a range of other services including health visitors, physiotherapists, sexual health services and pharmacists.
Patients also have access to a gym, which will be available for use by community groups and a therapeutic garden, where two poems have been placed by Cambridge graduate Donny O’Rourke, who is from Port Glasgow.
Under three headings of diagnosis, prognosis and cure he writes: “Lack of nurture, jobs and hope, the wherewithal and skills to cope.
“In witness and solidarity will be stand idly by, while the poorest among us prematurely die.
“Society’s ills radically treated, recovery successfully completed.”
Life expectancy in Maryhill for men and women combined is an average of 69.8, compared with a national average of 75.8 and 80.2 in Eastwood.
Around 53% of the patients using the former Maryhill Health Centre live within the most deprived areas.
Jackie Kerr, Head of Operations for the North West Glasgow Health & Social Care Partnership, said: “This new centre is contributing to the regeneration of Maryhill as well as making a real contribution to local residents’ health.
“It is a marked improvement on the old centre thanks to a better lay out and modern facilities which are already providing better access to the wide range of services.”
The new centre was officially opened by Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Health, who said: “A key part of our vision for the health service is to enhance our community health services.
“We want to see GPs empowered to play an enhanced role, leading multi-disciplinary teams of health professionals.
“The Maryhill Health and Care Centre is the perfect place in which this vision can become a reality and I am sure it will serve the local community well for many years to come.”
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