Health News - May 2009
Safety in numbers
A group of young people who have been victims of crime have been learning how to defend themselves using judo.
The 10-week course, which started in February, teaches self-defence tactics and helps to improve confidence and self-esteem.
The judo and self-defence course was developed in collaboration with the Met Police and the British Judo Association.
Brother and sister Dennis and Samantha were among those who attended after Samantha had been robbed.
Their father, Patritio, said: “I feel that their confidence levels have increased and both have developed a more positive outlook.”
Another participant, Terrence, went because he had been bullied. His mother, Grace, said: “He is much more independent and aware of other people. He’s been able to deal with situations more effectively.”
They were among 268 young people, aged between nine and 18 who have been helped by the Hackney Young People Affected by Crime Project since it began last year.
The project is a joint initiative between the Council’s Children and Young Peoples’ Services, East London NHS Foundation Trust, the Met Police and Off Centre young peoples’ counselling service.
The acting bug
Audience members were able to shape the outcome of a play promoting good healthcare by making suggestions the performers then acted out.
‘Superbugs’ was performed in several venues in Hackney by Lightning Ensemble Theatre Company to highlight the best way to care for people at home.
Karen Gordon, Quality Improvement Manager for NHS City and Hackney, which backed the production, said: “We are all aware of the dangers of Cdifficile and MRSA in hospitals, but few people think about the threat of germs spread in the very places patients live.
“Both patients and healthcare professionals have a responsibility to keep this environment clean and safe.”
Buddies giving birth a boost
The country’s Chief Nurse, Dame Christine Beasley, visited Homerton hospital to be updated on an award-winning scheme that helps pregnant women and new mums care for their babies.
The Reducing Infant Mortality Programme (RIMP) was set up in Hackney to combat the high level of deaths among youngsters, especially in the black African and Caribbean communities.
The two-year programme, funded by Team Hackney, won the 2008 award for reducing health inequalities in the prestigious Health Service Journal Awards and has been praised by experts across the country.
The programme features a team of trained local volunteers known as ‘bump buddies’ and ‘birth buddies’ who advise women through pregnancy and support them through labour.
Dame Christine met some of the buddies during her visit to Hackney last month. She also heard a presentation about the programme and its impressive results, including increasing breastfeeding; earlier booking and better attendance at antenatal classes; and fewer emergency admissions to hospital.
All but one of the ten projects within the RIMP programme is now expected to be mainstreamed by the NHS City and Hackney later this year.
More information
Interested in being a bump or birth buddy? email: jane.walker@homerton.nhs.org
Advice on diabetes
National Diabetes Week will be marked in Hackney with an event to raise people’s awareness of the condition.
Striking the Balance is due to take place on 16 June at Ocean in Mare Street, from 10am to 6pm.
There will be diabetes screening, weight, blood pressure and foot health assessments, exercise sessions, service advice, and cookery demonstrations.
There will also be talks from experts and BBC One Show regular, dietician Azmina Govindji.
Hackney Diabetes Centre at Homerton hospital provides help and advice for over 10,000 people living with the disease in Hackney and the City.
Recently, it has expanded its lay education team, which offers basic information for people with type two diabetes.
Lay educator Jarka Valasheek said: “Everyone is welcome,whether you have diabetes or just want to know more about it. Come and find out about services and how we can manage diabetes better in Hackney.”
More information
Call the Hackney Diabetes Team on: 020 8510 5008, or email: diabetes@homerton.nhs.uk
Fitness won't break the bank
Residents keen to get into better shape have been benefiting from free sports and fitness sessions.
Trainer Gerry Jackson invited residents from Fellows Court and Woodberry Down estates to take part in twice-weekly workouts in local parks and community halls.
He encouraged them to use everyday objects, such as chairs, park benches and floor space, to get fit.
Groups of 10 to 12 people, aged between 20 and 50, have been taking part over an eight-week period, which is now drawing to a close.
The scheme has proved so successful that Gerry hopes to set up more sessions. He said: “When we first started in Haggerston some people struggled to run one lap of the park.
Seven weeks later, the same people were doing four or five laps with no problem.
“The idea was to show that you don’t need a gym and expensive equipment to get fit, you just need to learn how to make use of the space available to you, whether that’s indoors or outdoors.
“And to make people understand that it’s not just the physical side, there’s a mental side too – the more you put in, the more you get out of it.”
The sessions were organised by Shoreditch Spa and funded and monitored by NHS City & Hackney.
Money for bright NHS ideas
Funding worth £220million is being made available to encourage innovation in the NHS.
England’s 10 strategic health authorities – including NHS London, which is responsible for Hackney – will each receive £2million this year.
They will then receive £5million in each of the following four years to support frontline NHS staff to develop innovative ideas.
The aim is to benefit patients directly and increase the quality of care they receive.
The funding was announced last month by Health Minister Lord Darzi. He said: “We know that around 40 per cent of the world’s inventions over the past 50 years originated in the UK and that the NHS is rightly recognised as a world leader in the development of innovative treatments and technologies.
“But we can be better at putting those good ideas into action and these funds will help do exactly that.”
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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