The local NHS Health Improvement Team is offering a specialised course called the Expert Patient Programme for people living with long-term and chronic health conditions who live in either Halton or St Helens.

Run over an eight week period, the Expert Patient Programme provides information and support to help people manage their conditions more effectively.

The courses are delivered by volunteer tutors who have long-term conditions themselves. The tutors really understand the problems and anxieties people can experience and are able to offer guidance and support to people who attend.

The course is taught in small groups and consists of guided group conversations and tasks designed to increase people’s knowledge and skills. It covers a number of key areas, such as:

• healthy eating and gentle exercise
• dealing with pain and extreme tiredness
• relaxation techniques
• coping with feelings of low mood and depression
• working effectively with your Health Professional.

Describing the programme, a previous expert patient (who wanted to remain anonymous) said:

“The course is just wonderful and I would recommend it for anyone with a longterm condition.
I learnt some really useful things I can practice every day to help me look after myself, like which agencies can support you and some useful exercises to do.“

The Expert Patient Programme starts in both Halton and St Helens in the coming weeks:

To find out more about the Expert Patient Programme or to enrol onto a course please call the Health Improvement Team on0300 300 0103* or log onto www.healthimprovementteam.co.uk.
(*Calls cost the same as calling a landline, even from a mobile)

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