Publish date: 8 February 2024
Northumbria Healthcare brings interactive healthcare session to rural Northumberland
Northumbria Healthcare's Enhanced Care for Older People (EnCOP) initiative recently brought its holistic approach to healthcare directly to the doorstep of rural Northumberland residents in the Haltwhistle area.
The team hosted a drop-in session aboard MELISSA, a specially designed double-decker bus committed to delivering healthcare, education, and training across the North East and North Cumbria regions.
The event, attended by a range of Northumbria Healthcare teams specialising in medicines, carer support, keeping active, and frailty, aimed to educate and empower older patients by providing valuable tools for effective care management. Attendees, both patients and staff, gained insights into various aspects of care, including nutrition, diet, and proper medicine management.
With more than 50 attendees, the session included organisations like Age UK, Carers Northumberland and Northumberland Domestic Abuse Services, strengthening the collaborative effort to address the different needs of the ageing population. This event marked the fourth stop in the Trust's EnCOP road show, which plans to visit six sites across Northumberland and North Tyneside, each focusing on a different theme.
Northumbria Healthcare launched the EnCOP initiative in July 2022 with a mission to explore and implement care solutions for older people with complex and evolving conditions.
Elaine Francis, Mental Health Nurse and Lead Educator - EnCOP, said:
“Community events like this provide our teams with a valuable platform to raise awareness about the work that we do. Ageing and living well is a priority, and maintaining good health significantly improves our quality of life in later years. Our team is dedicated to empowering people to improve their health and wellbeing as they get older.”
Clare Collins, pharmacy technician and EnCOP Educator Community Lead, added:
“The MELISSA drop-in session tour underscores the commitment of Northumbria Healthcare to engage directly with communities, working in partnership with other organisations to provide proactive healthcare management. We look forward to continuing to replicate this event across the region and bringing empowering and educational events to peoples’ doorsteps.”
MELISSA, a collaborative effort between the North East Simulation Network, I Can Prevent Delirium, NHSE Education North East Faculty of Patient Safety, and the Find Your Place in the North East and North Cumbria campaign, serves as a mobile hub for community-focused healthcare initiatives.
The Northumbria Healthcare EnCOP team will be at the Living and Ageing Well event on Wednesday 6 March and Berwick Infirmary and Alnwick Infirmary. The event will be at Berwick from 9.30am – 11.30am before travelling to Alnwick Infirmary where they will be set up from 1.00pm – 3.00pm.
For more information about MELISSA, click here.
Media contact
Christopher Magee, marketing and communications officer
christopher.magee@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk