The popular ‘Health on the Shelf’ community event returns to Merry Hill from Wednesday 11th November to Friday 13th November, giving local people the change to take a few minutes out of their shopping trip to focus on their health.
Running from 9am to 3pm each day, the event will bring together more than 30 local organisations in the Health Market area of the shopping centre, making it easier for people to find out about the support available to them in their local community.
Organised by The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Dudley Council Public Health and local voluntary sector organisations, the three-day showcase aims to raise awareness of local services, encourage prevention and help people take positive steps towards looking after their health and wellbeing.
Visitors will be able to access a range of free health checks and screenings, receive advice from friendly health professionals and discover services offering support with everything from mental health and bereavement to family health, physical wellbeing and substance misuse.
Among the free services and support available will be:
Health checks and screenings: Blood pressure checks from The Dudley Group's pharmacy team, mini health checks from Your Health Dudley, and information about abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening and respiratory health.
Mental health and emotional wellbeing: Advice and support from Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, alongside information about bereavement and palliative care services from Mary Stevens Hospice.
Healthy lifestyles and recovery: Information from Dudley Council Public Health, Alternatives and Change Grow Live, including support with drug and alcohol concerns.
Health and care services: Representatives from Healthwatch Dudley will be available to help people understand local services and share their experiences.
There will also be representatives from a range of other local organisations, giving visitors the opportunity to discover the breadth of support available across Dudley.
Dr Lloyd Baron, local GP and clinical lead for health inequalities at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Health on the Shelf is about making health and wellbeing support accessible to everyone in our community.
“By bringing together so many local services under one roof, we're helping people find the right advice and resources to look after their health - whether that's through a simple blood pressure check, a conversation about mental health or finding out about support available locally.”
Diane Wake, Group Chief Executive of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, said: “Health on the Shelf is a fantastic example of how we can bring health and wellbeing support directly into the heart of our community.
“By working together with our partners, we can make it easier for local people to access advice, find out about the services available to them and take small but important steps towards better health and wellbeing. We want everyone to feel welcome and able to access the support they need.”
No booking is required. Simply visit the Health Market area on the ground floor of Merry Hill, near the Holland & Barrett store, between 9am and 3pm from Wednesday 11th November to Friday 13th November to meet local teams, take part in activities and pick up useful information.
E N D S
Notes to editors: