The Scotland Panel at Culture, Health and Wellbeing International Conference 2021 took the form of a conversation between an artist, a doctor and a policy maker. Together they discussed what inequalities have been highlighted to them during the pandemic. They considered how much control they felt they had over their situation working in their particular context, what the benefits of creative activity during this time has been, and how we can build on the positives of what we have learned.
The panel was chaired by Robbie McGhee – Chair ACHW Scotland, Associate Director Art in Hospital.
Robbie has twenty-five years’ experience working in the area of arts, mental health and wellbeing, as a practitioner and now in research, funding and development. He is currently Chair of Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland, Associate Director of Art in Hospital, Freelance Arts and Health Consultant and Arts & Health Research Associate at Glasgow University in School of Medicine.
Dr Elizabeth Oommen, Consultant, Medicine for the Elderly, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Elizabeth is a doctor working in the Department of Medicine for the Elderly at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Gartnaval Hospital in Glasgow. She looks after acutely unwell older adults and older adults in a rehabilitation ward post fracture. Elizabeth enjoys working with Art in Hospital and has found patients to have benefited hugely from participation in art sessions.
Milica Milosevic, Head of Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion, Creative Scotland
Milica is Creative Scotland’s strategic lead for Equality, Diversity & Inclusions. Previously at Arts Council England, she led on diversity & equality strategy and policy, informing the development and delivery of diversity strategy across England. Alongside managing a team of specialists, Milica managed relationships with a diverse portfolio of arts organisations, and has led social inclusion programmes and collaborations with the youth justice system and arts in health & wellbeing programmes.
Jan-Bert Van den Berg, Director, Artlink Edinburgh and the Lothians
Artlink works with people who are elderly and who have a range of disabilities or experience mental ill health. Artlink’s work bridges culture and the voice of people whose lives tend to be trickier due to experiencing a range of inequalities. Jan-Bert brings his creative thinking to Edinburgh Compact, thinking of ways that the public sector and third sector can work together across boundaries to make things better for communities and individuals.