On Saturday 8 December, Drs Becky Jarvis and Claire Bowmer presented a virtual webinar on Mental Health and Wellbeing.  It was attended by approximately 30 patients.  Thanks to our Patient Group who made this happen.      Here is the presentation and please contact us if you need any more information on any of the content.  Listeners to the webinar suggested the following resources/activities

                Dr Chatterjee podcast ‘feel better, live more’

                Chris Gethard podcast – Beautiful anonymous

                Volunteering with the Cinnamon Trust

                Book – Our body keeps the score

                Book – The Compassionate mind approach to recovering from Trauma by Deborah Lee

Mental Health Presentation December 2020

Here is some information from Mind about ways to look after your mental health and wellbeing: 

https://www.mindcharity.co.uk/advice-information/how-to-look-after-your-mental-health/wellbeing-information-and-tips-sheets/

For those of you who I am yet to meet, my name is Lydia and I am a patient engagement worker for the East and Central Brighton PCN. The patient engagement team's aim is to aid GP practices in tackling local health inequalities and learn how to better support our patients through community outreach projects.  

I head up the 'Healthy Heart' project for our PCN and have planned some events for September which we would like to share with you and your patients.  

We are hosting two free taster classes on Tuesday 21st September at the Brighthelm Centre, North Road for our patients dealing with chronic pain related conditions and/or heart related conditions/risk factors (hypertension, QRISK, high BMI, smoking). 

The classes are as follows:

• Stretch and Relax class @ 10am - 11am, 21st Sept - this class will allow patients to practice gentle movement and learn some basic yoga moves to encourage flexibility, relaxation and mindfulness. The class can be done seated or on the floor (patients may need a yoga mat or towel).
• Movement and Balance class @ 2pm - 3pm, 21st Sept - this class will focus on gentle, flowing movements where patients will be introduced to the basics of Tai Chi. Benefits include building musculoskeletal strength and improving joint stability. The class can be done seated or standing. 

I will be contacting patients in the run up to the taster sessions but, if you have a patient in mind that is dealing with chronic pain issues, is on a high opioid prescription and/or has heart related conditions & you would like to invite them to attend, then please do pass their details onto me.  

Patients need to book a place before attending and I am happy to book a place for them. You can contact me on: lydia.glover@nhs.net or 07402 543060

• We will also have a Patient engagement stall set up from 9:30am - 3:30pm that day. We can provide attendees with a healthy snack, a free blood pressure monitor or a chance to try out a TENS machine. Our PCN Pharmacists and Social prescribers will be available on the day to talk to patients about their needs. 
• Table Tennis tables will be available to use in between our movement classes!
•  

If you have any questions, please do get in touch. I hope to hear from you soon.