A chance to have a say on health

OLDHAMERS will get the chance to have their say on the future of local health services at a one-off drop-in event.

The public are invited to visit the Going the Extra Mile meeting at Gallery Oldham on Friday from 10am to 4pm to learn how healthcare in the borough can become the very best.

The drop-in session, which has been organised by Oldham Community Health Services (part of NHS Oldham), will also be an opportunity for visitors to meet front-line staff, see the work they do and to ask questions.

There will be information stands staffed by experts and visitors can try activities such as lung age testing and blood pressure checks.

There will also be stop-smoking advice and support on offer and the chance for over-65s, or those who suffer from long-term conditions such as asthma, to have a flu jab.

During the event there will be two ‘break out’ discussions on offer at 11am and 2pm.

Here, people will have the opportunity to tell staff from OCHS what going the extra mile means to them and what they would like to see from healthcare services in Oldham.

Janet Ellis, practice development co-ordinator for OCHS, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity.

“Staff can showcase and explain their day-to-day work and their achievements and the public can find out what goes on behind the scenes.

“It is also an ideal opportunity to find out and act on what people in Oldham really want from healthcare services in Oldham, rather than what we think they want.”

The areas of healthcare that people can find out about include immunisations and vaccinations, infection control, learning disabilities, family planning and sexual health district nursing and community matrons, dental, podiatry, diabetes, Parkinson’s Disease and the Patient Advice and Liaison Service.