Health Trainers
Community Health Trainers
“Support from next door not advice from on high”
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Fiona James
Health Trainer Manager |
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What is a Community Health Trainer?
A Community health trainer is a local person recruited from their community, so they understand first hand the concerns of local people. They receive a range of training including a City and Guilds Level 3 qualification, developed nationally especially for health trainers.
What does a Health Trainer do?
Health Trainers are trained to support individuals to make health related changes in their lifestyle. They support people to identify what they want to do and how they want to do it; perhaps taking up physical activity, stopping smoking, healthy eating, or joining a local community group. Then the health trainer supports them to carry out that change;perhaps going with them to the gym, going through a food diary with them or explaining what stop smoking services can offer. Health trainers also signpost people to mainstream services when necessary.
Who do Health Trainers work with?
Health Trainers are part of the government’s policy to address inequalities in health, and they work with those least likely to go along to services and activities independently. We have a diverse workforce working with communities across Newcastle.
Do Health Trainers work with people on a one to one basis, or in a group?
Usually one to one, but not always. This is a service for individuals, but sometimes people have a common goal, e.g. weight management, healthy eating, or feeling less isolated, and then health trainers will bring people together in health trainer sessions.
How do people work with a Health Trainer?
There are 2 ways:
Referral – Referrals come from G.P.s, Nurses, Community Mental Health Teams, Newcastle Futures, Occupational Therapists, Midwives, Health Visitors, City Council services, Physical Activity Teams, Age Concern etc.
Community engagement – community health trainers attend community events, organise drop-ins, give talks, organise weight management and other sessions, walking opportunities etc, and in this way people can “self refer” to the service.
For how long does a health trainer work with someone?
This is not long term. The aim is to support people to make healthy changes in their lives. How long this takes varies from person to person, but if long term support is needed to maintain change e.g. support in a gym, or specialist support around alcohol issues, then the health trainer will aim to introduce people to a service that can provide longer-term support.
How can the Community Health Trainer Team be contacted?
The team is based at:
508 Elswick Road
Benwell
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 8ED
Tel: 0191 2738889
Email: healthtrainers@hwn.org.uk
Administrator: Lynda Young
Download a referral form click here
Download the Health Trainer information leaflet here
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