Self Care Awareness Week (9th – 15th November) starts today, which aims to raise awareness of the information and support available to help people to take control of their own health and wellbeing. This particularly applies to people with long term conditions (an illness or condition which needs long term, ongoing treatment.) NHS Tameside and Glossop, as the local leaders of your NHS, are championing this chance to help local people help themselves, with new courses to assist people in managing their Diabetes being a great support for people with that condition.
Self Care covers every aspect of living a healthy life, from brushing our teeth to looking after ourselves when recovering from illness. People with long term conditions are already doing this well but some are still unaware of the choice of support and information available to help manage their condition.
For instance, everyone with a long term condition can have a personalised care plan, access to courses and support groups as well as knowing about the right equipment to help live healthy and stay independent.
Two courses recently launched by the NHS Tameside and Glossop Diabetes Education Service are excellent examples of offering people the knowledge they need to help themselves lead full and healthy lives. The X-Pert and DAFNE programmes offer the opportunity for the individuals to examine and understand their individual treatment plans alongside their lifestyle. This increased knowledge and awareness works towards the individual being empowered to take control of their Diabetes.
There are two separate new courses, the DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) Programme for those with Type 1 Diabetes, and the X-Pert Programme for those with Type 2 Diabetes. Both courses are facilitated by trained educators comprising of diabetes specialist nurses and diabetes dietitians.
Entirely free of charge, the courses are delivered in all localities of Tameside and Glossop. You can be referred to the course by your GP or Practice Nurse, simply ask them for more details. You can also call the Diabetes Education Service on 0161 368 4242 for more information or a leaflet, while a dedicated web site for the service is scheduled soon.
Hilary Garratt, Chief Operating Officer for Provider Services and Executive Director of Nursing, says “Self Care Week is a great opportunity to reach out to people who have to live with a chronic illness or condition, and to promote services that will support them to live life to the maximum, and minimise the impact of disease. Our new diabetes courses are already proving popular with people who want to take more control over their situation, and as a consequence they feel better and enjoy the benefits that this brings.”
If you are living with a health condition, or just want to learn how to look after yourself better, ask your healthcare professional for information on the advice and support available or visit www.nhs.uk/yourhealth.