"Expert Patients" scheme will start running in the New Year
A new free six-week course to help men living with a long-term condition to manage their health better will be starting in Merton in the New Year.
The Expert Patients Programme, run by Merton NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, offers six weekly sessions each lasting two and a half hours, teaching new skills and techniques to manage a wide range of health conditions, from diabetes to arthritis, in a friendly, relaxed environment.
The course is taught by trained volunteers who live with long-term conditions, and helps people feel more confident about managing their health, through, for example, dealing with stress and pain management and understanding their medication. Participants can also share their own experiences and learn from other people on the course.
Typical comments from those who have attended the programme include:
‘I found it helpful to have somebody there who had coped with similar things.”
‘I now sleep much better, eat better and keep fit. I feel very well.’
The men-only course will be based at the Wimbledon Guild and starts in January 2016. It’s available to anyone over 18 who has or cares for someone with a long-term condition and who lives or works in Merton, or is registered with a Merton GP.
For more information, or to book your place, please contact the EPP Team on 020 3668 1280 or merccg.epp@nhs.net.
November 13, 2015