Prime Minister supports PCT Life Channel

The Life Channel launched by the PCT in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale in December last year has been praised by Tony Blair.

The Prime Minister supports the health and wellbeing TV network that is currently broadcasting vital health information in 36 locations across the borough.

Mr Blair is endorsing The Life Channel being provided in schools and colleges. The Life Channel has just pioneered a new version of the network specially adapted to inform school children and young in a London College. He said of The Life Channel: “Information can be given to people in an easy to comprehend way. Overall I think it will provide something of real benefit to young people.” 

Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT is the first and only healthcare organisation in the North West to pilot the network after realising the benefits The Life Channel could offer in informing all our communities.

To date we have run adverts promoting stopping smoking, the Expert Patient’s Programme, health forecasts and educating people in the correct use of Antibiotics. The latter is soon to be broadcasting in Urdu in selected GP surgeries to ensure our message reaches Asian communities.

Chris Wright, Head of Corporate Affairs said: "The Life Channel is an excellent way for us to provide our patients with advice and education on how to have a healthier life.  The system is running in all our Health Centres and Clinics and in many GP surgeries in the Borough and patients see and hear a wide range of health related information whilst waiting for their appointment.  We can target specific messages to specific areas and even specific sites and we also have the facility to use alternative languages where necessary.

"The potential to extend the Life Channel into schools and colleges will provide the PCT with a great opportunity to work in partnership with other agencies to get messages on drugs, sexual health, binge drinking and many more into the consciousness of young people."