Residents suffering from long-term health conditions can now apply for a programme which teaches them new skills to help manage their condition.
The ‘Live Well Stay Well’ programme places emphasis on self-care by learning a new skill each week, such as finding ways of coping with fatigue or pain, maintaining a balanced diet, improving communication skills and planning for the future.
Ann Corkill, senior nurse of self-care, said:‘If you are living with a long-term health condition, for example diabetes, arthritis, chronic pain or high blood pressure, the ‘Live Well Stay Well’ programme can help you.’
Anyone with a long term health condition can apply for the course, which consists of two and a half hour sessions every week for six weeks, run by trained volunteers who themselves have long term health conditions, as well as being supported by health care professionals.
The next ‘Live Will Stay Well’ course starts on November 4 in Ramsey.
A recent evaluation of feedback questionnaires showed that 92 per cent of respondents felt more positive about living with their condition since completing the course. Problem solving, communication with family, friends and health professionals, and healthy eating were also reported to have improved.
As well as this, some participants stated that they would be less likely to visit A&E because of their condition and others said they had reduced their need for emergency GP appointments following the course.
‘The feedback questionnaires highlighted the enormous benefits participants received from completing the course,’ said Mrs Corkill.
Minister for Health and Social Care Howard Quayle MHK said: ‘Supporting people with long-term health conditions to enjoy life to the full and remain as healthy as possible is extremely important. From the results of the programme feedback, participation in the programme has been shown to give people the skills to manage their long term health condition with appropriate support from health and social care professionals as necessary.’
As part of the programme a ‘Looking After Me’ course has also been developed, which is based on the same principles as the ‘Live Well Stay Well’ programme, but is aimed at carers who sometimes forget about their own health. The next ‘Looking After Me’ course starts next Thursday (October 8) in Douglas.
For more information about the programmes or to book a place contact Mrs Corkill on 811830 or email ann.corkill@gov.im.
A similar programme called the ‘Expert patient’ has been running in the UK.