Become an Expert Patient and take control
08 June, 2011
City Health Care Partnership CIC is excited to be delivering the Expert Patients Programme (EPP) for people with long term health conditions in Hull and the East Riding.
EPP aims to enable those living with a long-term health condition to secure the support they need to develop the skills to feel more confident, gain more control of their health and enjoy an improved quality of life. The difference being that EPP is run by volunteer tutors who themselves have a long term health problem and so can understand the difficulties faced and speak from first-hand experience.
Denise Anderton, Head of Social Business and Engagement, is delighted that City Health Care Partnership is now able to offer the course. She says, “This builds upon the successful pilot programme previously delivered via NHS Hull, and is an excellent course for those people who have a long term condition to share their experiences in a supportive learning environment, and help them to improve self management of their condition.”
The courses run for six weeks - one 21/2 hour session per week - and are free to join. Among the subjects covered are:
- Dealing with pain and extreme tiredness
- Coping with depression, stress and low self image
- Relaxation Techniques
- Healthy eating and exercise
- Communicating more effectively with health professionals
- Triggers and relapse symptom awareness
- Planning for the future
Volunteer Tutor, Janice Way says, “It gives me a real boost to see how people's lives are transformed by the EPP, to witness their increased confidence and determination to fight back; it's tremendously encouraging to see participants take on board the strategies we teach to manage their condition more effectively'.
The programme aims to be friendly, informative and directly related to people’s needs. Courses are running throughout the coming months at various venues across the city. For more information or to register an interest contact the Expert Patient Programme Co-ordinator, Eileen Macfarlane, on 01482 344297 or email epp@chcphull.nhs.uk
