Health Trainers hope to improve the Health of Rochdale people

Community Health Trainers who work for Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust (HMRPCT) are ready to help local people improve their health and well being by supporting people to choose healthier lifestyles.

Rochdale boroughwide Community Health Trainers have been recruited by HMRPCT to serve local communities across Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale. They are specially trained to give local people good information on healthy options and advice on ways to become more active, lose weight and eat healthier, stop smoking and much more.

Angela Aitken, Health Trainer Programme Manager, said: “Anyone who wants help to make healthier choices and stick to them will have the opportunity to be supported by a new kind of personal healthcare professional, Community NHS Health Trainers.  The role of the Health Trainer is fundamentally different from what has gone before, focussing on prevention rather than cure.”

All Community Health Trainers are local residents who understand the daily challenges of living and working in the Rochdale borough. They will work with clients on a one to one basis, helping to develop personal health plans that meet each individual’s needs.

GPs and other Health Professionals will be able to refer patients whose medical conditions require a lifestyle change to Community Health Trainers for ongoing support. Other local people who would like to become healthier but would benefit from advice and support can drop in to see their Community Health Trainer and discuss their options. Patients can set their own goals and health trainers will help people achieve them.

Community Health Trainers are set to be active in the community from November. They will be based in the community at the following locations:

• Healthy Living Initiative Middleton
• Healthy Living Initiative Rochdale
• New deal for Communities Heywood (NDC)
• Rochdale Centre of Diversity (RCD)
• Rochdale Council for Voluntary Services (CVS)
• Rochdale Federation Tenants Residents Association (ROFTRA)

Each Health Trainer specialises in providing help and support for particular clients including:

• Low income groups
• Families
• Older People
• People with disabilities
• Black and Minority Ethnic Communities, Asylum Seekers and Refugees