Below are a few of the wellbeing resources which are available at Okehampton Medical Centre. We will also be launching a GP Chaplaincy service after Easter and will soon be able to offer free counselling sessions with a student counsellor, in addition to the low cost counselling service which is currently available.
Wellbeing Co-ordinator
Francesca Bliss is a Wellbeing Co-ordinator based at Okehampton Medical Centre. This is a new initiative helping people identify what really matters to them and seeing if there is anything we can do practically to make what matters to them happen.
GPs and the Community Health and Social Care Team are able to refer people to Francesca - she then gives people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me’ and taking a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. She can connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support.
Francesca says: ‘There are so many wonderful services in Okehampton it can be difficult to know what is available. My job is about helping you to look at what would make the biggest difference to you and helping you connect with activities that are meaningful.
‘I work with a wide range of people with long-term health concerns, those who need support with their mental health or who are lonely or isolated.
‘If you think this service would help you or a family member, please speaks to your GP.’
Drink Wise Age Well
Drink Wise Age Well in Devon, as part of its programme to help reduce alcohol abuse amongst the over 50s, seeks to develop opportunities for people to meet and join community-based activities.
DWAW, in partnership with Okehampton Medical Centre, has developed and enabled patients and staff over the last nine months to attend a four-week Mindfulness Course, a six-week Well Being Course and a singing group which delivered a singing performance to a Residential Home for older people.
Okehampton Well-being for All
Okehampton Well-being for All is a new initiative by three local complementary practitioners - Eve Oliveira, Anna Georghiou and Xristiana Kalouli. They say: ’As complementary health practitioners, there are sections of the community that we rarely see in our private practices. A private session costs between £25 and £50 which is inaccessible to many people, especially as one session is usually not enough for most conditions.
‘With the support of Okehampton Medical Centre, we have set up a low-cost complementary clinic for those on low incomes, elderly people and generally folk who don't see these therapies as relevant to themselves.'
It is also an attempt to approach issues from a well-being perspective rather than an illness one and promote prevention rather than cure.
Okehampton Well-being for All has been running on a weekly basis for two months and the feedback is very positive! It takes place in the Medical Centre on a Wednesday afternoon.
For more information contact okehamptonwellbeing@pm.me or message Okehampton Well-being for All on Facebook.
In the past we at the medical centre have worked with Learn Devon and West Devon Art Workshops to offer ‘Creative Ways to Wellbeing’ and art taster sessions at the medical centre - and we would like to continue to work with community organisations to do so in future.
If you are interested in working with us or finding out more about wellbeing services at the Medical Centre, please speak to reception or contact Kiran Bakhshi, practice manager, by email at kiran.bakhshi@nhs.net
Dr Emma Chapman
Okehampton Medical Centre