Recently I attended a Patient Information Session hosted by the Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) at the Sutton Life Centre.
NHS Sutton CCG and Sutton GP Practices are working in partnership to bring together local NHS services, social services and voluntary groups and organisations at health information sessions across the borough to improve the health and well-being of Sutton residents.
Participants have the opportunity to speak with local professionals from health, social care and voluntary organisations who support older people, people living with diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and parents of young children.
The event I went along to focused specifically on COPD. This is the name used to describe a number of conditions including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Whilst I was there, I had the privilege of meeting with local support organisations that assist people living with COPD. One of the organisations I met with was the Sutton Carers Centre. Sutton Carers Centre supports unpaid Carers who live or work in the London Borough of Sutton. They provide advice, information and emotional support, help with benefit forms/accessing funds, counselling, breaks e.g. complementary therapies, support groups, and much more.
I also met with Sutton Shopmobility, which is a charity set up to loan wheelchairs, scooters and mobility equipment to people with mobility problems, and with the Respiratory Service at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust.
I want to thank the Sutton CCG for inviting me to this event to learn more about how these patient information sessions work, and what they can offer patients. To find out more about what they do, or to attend one in the future, you can get more information on their website here.
Thank you also to the Sutton Carers Centre, Sutton Shopmobility and the Respiratory Service at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust for the work they do in the local community, and for talking to me about their service.