Health Trainers Network
Health Trainers are a new idea which the Government put forward in its Public Health White Paper, 'Choosing Health' which was published in November 2004 (the delivery plan was published in March 2005).
Offering practical support instead of preaching, and good connections into the advice and support available locally, they will become an essential practical resource in the community to 'help out' on health choices - a guide for those who want help, not an instructor for those who do not. Different neighbourhoods will need different types of Health Trainers and in developing good practice we will learn from seeing which models work best for different communities and individuals.
If people want it, NHS-accredited Health Trainers will provide advice and support to develop a personal health guide, including help with:
- defining the changes they want to make;
- providing advice and practical support on what they can do - such as stopping smoking, doing more exercise, healthy eating, practising safe sex, dealing with stress or tackling social isolation;
- providing advice, motivation and support - including training to look after their own health, advice, and help with making better use of lifestyle information on making and sustaining changes over time; and
- explaining how to access other help locally, both from the NHS, and more widely across the community.
Health trainers will be able to offer people a health 'stock take', to help them assess how their way of life might be impacting on their health and the sorts of changes that might be beneficial to them. For many people this sort of support will be all they want. But people are not all the same and some may need more specialised help. Health trainers will be able to help people access other support, both from their local community and from specialised services such as the NHS Stop Smoking Services or sexual health services, or advice and support on diet and exercise."
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Latest Competences for Health Trainers (Version 1.7, April 2006) |
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Improving Health: Changing Behaviour. NHS Health Trainer Handbook |
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Presentation on Health Trainers by Dr Judy Jones (March 2006) |
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Health Trainers: A review of the evidence by Shelina Visram and Chris Drinkwater (May 2005) |
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