Locality Links C.I.C.

Locality Links Self-Management Programme is designed to help people living with a long-term (chronic) condition gain greater self-confidence in their ability to control their symptoms and how their health problems affect their lives.

What is Locality Links Self-Management Programme?

The Locality Links Self-Management Programme is a series of highly interactive workshops, delivered once a week over six weeks, in a community setting. The main aim of the programme is to support people to become ‘expert patients’ by:

• increasing their confidence
• improving their quality of life
• helping them manage their condition more effectively

What is an ‘expert patient’?

Many GPs who care for people with long-term conditions say that the patient understands the condition better than they do. This is not surprising as many patients become experts as they learn to cope with their long-term conditions.

There is evidence that, with proper support, people with a long-term condition can take the lead in managing their condition – such people are called ‘expert patients’. This helps to improve their health and quality of life, and reduces their incapacity (lack of strength or ability).

An expert patient is someone who:
      feels confident and in control of their life
      aims to manage their condition and its treatment, in partnership with healthcare professionals
      communicates effectively with professionals, and is willing to share responsibility for treatment
      is realistic about how their condition affects them and their family
      uses their skills and knowledge to lead a full life

How does it work?

The Locality Links Self-Management Programme covers the following topics:

• dealing with pain and extreme tiredness
  coping with feelings of depression
• relaxation techniques and exercises
  healthy eating
• communicating with family, friends and healthcare professionals
• planning for the future

The programme is free for people living in funded boroughs and consists of six consecutive weekly sessions, with each session lasting around two-and-a-half hours. The interactive sessions are run by two trained facilitators, at least one of whom is living with a chronic disease themselves.

It is the process in which the programme is taught that makes it effective. Classes are highly participative, where mutual support and success build the participants’ confidence in their ability to manage their health and maintain active and fulfilling lives. However, participants can interact as much, or as little, as they wish.