A SPECIAL course for people with chronic or long term illnesses starts in Tavistock next week, run by South Hams and West Devon Primary Care Trust. The Expert Patients? Programme, which will be running at the Anchorage Centre in Chapel Street, aims to help people who may feel they are alone with their health problems and who dislike ?bothering? health professionals for support. The course is free and runs for six weeks, with each session lasting just two-and-a-half hours. A spokesman for South Hams and West Devon PCT said: ?There?s a coffee break when people can exchange ideas on their conditions ? they are run by two lay tutors who have long-term health conditions themselves.? The course will cover a variety of issues, such as better symptom control, effective use of limited energy levels, a more active lifestyle, raised self-esteem and confidence, fewer visits to hospital and shorter stays, developing partnerships with health care professionals, more effective use of resources and increase in quality of life. The spokesman said: ?Previous participants have reported a more positive outlook on their condition and life, better management of condition, awareness of organisations that can help them ? they manage setbacks better.? The course aims to reduce hospitalisation times, frequency of doctors? visits and stress levels. It was developed by Kate Lorig, a post graduate student at Stanford University in California. The course starts on Thursday August 25, at 2.30pm. Anyone who would like more information should go to http://www.expertpatients.nhs.uk">www.expertpatients.nhs.uk
