NHS Trust on the hunt for Practice Health Champions in Calderdale
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is on the lookout for Practice Health Champions to help improve health and wellbeing in Calderdale.
Practice Health Champions will work voluntarily with their local GP practice or surgery to support the local community and GP practice to improve people’s health – helping people to access local health and wellbeing services and activities, and represent the community and its views.
The volunteer Practice Champions are now being recruited to work with Horne Street surgery and Keighley Road surgery. To become a volunteer, candidates must either live in the surrounding area local to Horne Street surgery, or be registered as a patient with Keighley Road surgery.
As volunteers, Practice Health Champions will also gain new skills and experience; have the opportunity to work alongside health professionals, and gain an increased knowledge of local health services and activities.
Volunteers will attend a compulsory two day training course to prepare and equip them for the role, and are asked to give around three hours of their time per week.
Training takes place on:
• Tuesday 13 May and Tuesday 20 May at Dean Clough in Halifax for Keighley Road patients
• Wednesday 14 May and Wednesday 21 May at Elsie Whiteley Centre in Halifax for Horne Street patients.
Each training day will run from 9:45am – 3pm and lunch will be provided.
Petra Gordon, Health Improvement Practitioner at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Practice Health Champion volunteers will work with staff at their local GP practice or surgery to find new ways to improve the services the practice offers, and to help meet the health needs of patients and the wider community.
“People volunteer for a number of reasons but one of the main benefits of becoming a Practice Health Champion is that it is so rewarding. Volunteers will be able to build relationships, meet new friends, and make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of their local community.”
Beechwood Medical Centre and Church Lane surgery will also be recruiting and training Practice Health Champions in June.
For more information, or to register your interest, contact Petra Gordon on 01422 281528 or email petra.gordon@swyt.nhs.uk