More dates for long term illness programme

New course dates have been announced for the Expert Patients Programme, the self management course for people living with long-term health conditions.

The programme, provided by Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust (HMRPCT), helps people with long term or recurring illnesses improve their quality of life. They face many issues such as tiredness, pain and depression, and the course helps them to manage these symptoms and the emotions that go with such an illness.

The Expert Patients programme includes a range of illnesses such as arthritis, asthma, coronary heart disease, bronchitis, emphysema, stroke, ME, diabetes and depression.

The course consists of six weekly sessions, each lasting two and a half hours. It is lead by a trained volunteer tutor who themselves is living with a long term health condition, offering advice on dealing with pain and extreme tiredness, coping with feelings of depression, appropriate exercise, healthy eating, problem solving and decision making.

The next dates are:

Rochdale at St Andrews Church, Smith Street - Commencing Tuesday 2 September for six consecutive weeks from 10am - 1pm

Heywood at the Magic Centre (next to Market) - Commencing Wednesday 3 September for six consecutive weeks from 12.20pm - 3.30pm

Middleton, venue TBC - Commencing Friday 5 September for six consecutive weeks from 12.20pm - 3.30pm

Places are limited and people must register for a place by contacting the expert patients team on 01706 525654 or by registering online at www.hmrpct.nhs.uk