Mahatma Ghandi once said “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” At Arch we believe this measure is also true of a city – our city – Brighton & Hove.
ARCH stands for Accessible Restorative Community Health. The name reflects the belief of the team that primary care should move way beyond the treatment of symptoms into community oriented care which focuses on the whole person and promotes restoration, wellness and resilience.
ACCESSIBLE is not simply about an open door, simple registration and a flexible appointment system, though those are important. It’s about a professional, welcoming and non-judgemental culture amongst our entire team so that people who may struggle to access formal services are able to visit their GP with confidence and receive the treatment which they need.
RESTORATIVE is the recognition that each person is a unique and complex individual and is always more than a presenting health issue. Arch will always seek, as far as is possible, to gain an understanding of the whole person and help them to aim for the best possible physical and mental health outcomes.
COMMUNITY is key to every person’s health and wellbeing. Not every problem can be addressed through a consultation with the doctor or nurse, the prescription pad cannot replace our need for positive interactions with fellow human beings. Arch recognises that many, many local groups, organisations, businesses and people play a critical role in the health of our people.
HEALTH is our business, our aim is improving the health of the poorest fastest through outstanding specialist health care and through proactive engagement with the wider community. We believe that homeless people should have access to healthcare which is at least as good as that which is provided for the rest of the population.
At Arch we want to improve the health of the poorest fastest.