On 6th April 2023, the Shiatsu Society is again promoting Sustainable Healthcare Day, along with its partners in the Integrated Healthcare Collaborative.
“We all have a duty to ensure that our healthcare is provided in ways which are sustainable individually, financially, and environmentally. It is one of the most critical issues facing us as a population. We want you to join us in starting a national conversation about all aspects of this issue and help to raise it up the political agenda.” - IHC
This year’s Sustainable Healthcare Day has a focus on self-help, encouraging everyone to look after their own health in simple, sustainable ways, which can reduce the burden on conventional healthcare services and give resources to deal with anxiety and stress which have proliferated over the past few years with Covid restrictions and cost-of-living issues. The IHC is compiling a guide including self-help tips from all the therapies represented in the Collaborative.
In an increasingly complex and technology-driven world, simple, sustainable Shiatsu provides a contrast, with powerful touch-based techniques which can help people to feel more at home in mind and body. The techniques of Shiatsu – pressure on acupoints, gentle stretches, palming on muscles – need no special equipment or materials, just sensitive hands and compassionate intention.
As we all look to reduce our impact on the planet, natural and traditional healthcare practices such as Shiatsu can play a part in providing tools which encourage self-care and responsibility without using up material resources.
The Shiatsu Society feels that Shiatsu therapy offers substantial benefits to healthcare provision in this country – it requires little or no equipment and can be practised in many settings, Shiatsu Society Registered Practitioners all have a minimum of 3 years training and are fully insured, Shiatsu can be accessed by young and old alike, Shiatsu can aid in improving general wellbeing and motivating receivers to make healthy lifestyle changes. (Professor A.F Long, University of Leeds 2007 The Effects and Experience of Shiatsu: A Cross-European Study. Final Report. School of Healthcare, University of Leeds.).
In supporting Sustainable Healthcare Day, we want the general public, local communities, scientists, businesses, organisations, medical professionals and politicians to all put forward their vision, their priorities, and how each can play their part. These will be fed back to the Integrated Healthcare Collaborative, which will collate contributions from all 27 member associations and will then present the findings widely at Government and local levels.