A NEW free online programme to help people across the area live well with long-term health conditions has been launched.
The HOPE (Help Overcome Problems Effectively) Programme is expanding, thanks to a partnership between NHS England South West and Hope For The Community Community Interest Company.
The Hope Programme is designed to build confidence of patients with long-term health conditions with no cures (ie diabetes, asthma, angina) who feel isolated and do not know where to get support by linking them with others in the same position. Long-term conditions are chronic illnesses, diseases or other conditions for which there is no cure.
It provides practical techniques for building resilience, managing fatigue, stress and symptoms, improving emotional wellbeing, enhancing communication and adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
One patient who has benefited from HOPE is Hayley Dixon, a single Devon mother of two.
She said: "I was struggling with my mental health for years. I focused completely on my daughter but didn’t take care of myself. Joining HOPE helped me step out of my comfort zone, talk to new people, and take time for myself.
“The mentors were amazing, the topics and videos helped me see things differently. I realised that by changing how I think about things, life could become easier."
Self-management is not about doing it alone—it is about learning skills, gaining confidence and finding the right support to help people live well.
On the Hope Programme offers videos, bite-sized information, interactive activities, quizzes, and goal-setting tools. Patients can also track their symptoms and identify what works for them, connect with others in similar situations and learn at their own pace
The HOPE Programme is available to anyone aged 18 or over in the SW to join with trained staff or start a self-directed course. To sign up visit www.h4c.org.uk/hpsw, telephone: 024773 601 53 or email: [email protected]