If you feel like you don’t eat very healthily, or maybe drink a bit too much, perhaps you wish you exercised more or could quit smoking then a “fantastic” NHS service aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles could be the boost you need to make it happy.
The Health Trainer service, part of NHS Norfolk and Waveney, is a free and confidential service for people aged 16 and over in Norwich. The service provides the encouragement and support you need to achieve lifestyle changes.
Pam Cranston, Health Trainer Coordinator, said: “As we turn to a new year many people are keen to get fit and healthy but aren’t sure where to start. That is where we can help.
“Health Trainers work with the person to make a personalised health plan based on the things they want to achieve. We support people to set small goals in order to achieve long term behaviour changes such as exercising more, cutting down on alcohol, quitting smoking or eating less processed food.
Anyone aged 16 or over can self-refer into the service by calling the Norwich Health Trainer Service on 01603 638064 or by emailing [email protected].
Appointments can be arranged at a place local to the person such as a community centres or a GP surgery.
“The initial consultation is a chance for you, our client, to tell us more about yourself and what changes you are keen to make” Pam added. “We then work with you to explore options to move forward and to idenitify barriers you may have to making a change and how to overcome this.”
The individual then has regular meetings to review their progress with up to six sessions over six months.
The Health Trainer Service is a client-centred service. The trainers work with the individual and can also provide people with information that will support them in the changes they want to make such as: how to understand food labels, local physical activities in their area or what smoking cessation products are available.
Pam said: “We understand that people are their own experts and support them to come up with their own goals around the changes they want to make.
“The best thing about our service is that we are personal and flexible. For example it is silly to think that a full time mum could go to the gym every morning, so we would work together to find something that fits in with her circumstances. Perhaps there’s a local mums-and-tots physical activity groups that we can put her in touch with.”
The Norwich Health Trainer Service will be out and about in January to tell people more about the service:
- Thursday, January 17 at Asda, Drayton High Road, Hellesdon, Norwich
- Friday, January 18 near the refectory at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Colney Lane, Norwich
- Wednesday, January 23 in the entrance foyer of the Community Hospital, Bowthorpe Road, Norwich
- Thursday, January 24 at Roys of Wroxham in Anglia Square, Norwich
- Friday, January 25 in Boots, Norwich Castle Mall
- Thursday, January 31 at The Forum, Norwich
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