New winter wellbeing advice booklet offers support and guidance to Hemel residents

Thousands of older and vulnerable Hertfordshire residents are receiving essential advice on how to keep healthy, happy and safe this winter thanks to a partnership project.

Meals on wheels providers, NHS staff, firefighters, local charities and volunteers are all delivering ‘Your Guide to Staying Well in Hertfordshire’ – a new 16-page booklet packed with helpful information, directly to people across the county who need it.

Dr Prag Moodley and Dr Nicolas Small are local GPs and chairs of East and North Hertfordshire CCG and Herts Valleys CCG, which produced the booklet.

Dr Small said: “We want to support people to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

"Knowing how to look after yourself, manage your long term condition, stop it getting worse plus who to contact if you need extra help is really valuable information.

"We think our booklet gives that advice in a clear and easy to understand way and hope that many people will enjoy reading it over the coming weeks.”

Dr Moodley said: “The COVID pandemic has changed the way we live and for many older people, this has brought uncertainty and worry.

"We want people to know that the NHS is still here to help and they shouldn’t hesitate to contact us if they need to.

"We’ve combined advice on keeping warm and well alongside safety information in this booklet.

"I’m thankful for the help being given by local organisations to get this booklet into the hands of people who need it across Hertfordshire.”

‘Your Guide to Staying Well in Hertfordshire’ contains information on:

- Contacting your GP practice

- Eating hearty and nutritious food

- Living well with a long term condition

- Health symptoms to get checked out

- The help pharmacies can provide

- Tips on keeping your home warm and safe

- Coping with COVID

- Avoiding a fall and keeping active

- Flu vaccinations

- Fire safety at home

- Staying connected and combatting loneliness.

The guide is being delivered by community volunteers and by:

- Hertfordshire Independent Living Service to people receiving meals on wheels

- Small Acts of Kindness – a Watford-based charity which gives ‘warm in winter’ gift bags to older and vulnerable people

- Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service – as part of their ‘safe and well’ visits

- Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust and Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust – through district nurses and other community staff who see patients at home.

Booklets will also be available from larger pharmacies, GP practices and libraries from early December.

If you would like some leaflets to distribute in your local area, please email: [email protected]