Taking digital health on tour across Lancashire and South Cumbria
Date posted: 6th December 2018
Over the past few months, we have really enjoyed getting out and about to offer local residents training and support to get online to manage their health and wellbeing through a series of drop in sessions in Lancashire and South Cumbria.
We worked with the Wavemaker team to take their mobile digital classroom into communities to show what is on offer for people locally - including how to access your GP services through apps and websites.
We provided demonstrations and answered questions about using computers, phones and tablets to get online. We also gave people a chance to test out new digital technology - such as the NHS Online Orb, which is being piloted in Lancashire and South Cumbria.
Our digital tour stopped off at Chorley, Nelson, Morecambe, Blackpool, Blackburn, Preston and Barrow-in-Furness.
We chatted to 487 local people about all things digital, listening to what they like, don't like and what they want to see in the future to make it easier to manage their health online. Our learnings from this will feed into the digital plan we are developing for 2019-2020 and beyond.
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to pop over to speak with us!
Watch our film
Watch our short video for a snapshot of what happened when we took digital health out on tour in Lancashire and South Cumbria and hear what local people think in their own words.
Take a look at our photo gallery
We have put together a collection of the photos from our digital health tour with the Wavemaker team this Autumn.
View our photo gallery - digital health on tour
More about getting online
Why do I need to get online?
Because it will give you access to manage your own health and wellbeing more easily, whenever you want to and where ever you are.
How can getting online help me access health services?
There are lots of different ways you can access health services and advice online - including the NHS website or the NHS 111 service if you need help now but it's not an emergency, booking doctor's appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions, as well as through a wide range of health apps and websites designed to help you look after your health and wellbeing - whether you want to better manage an existing condition, get fit or try out something new such as mindfulness.
What do I need to go online?
You can use your own mobile phone, tablet or computer, borrow a device from family or friends - or book a slot on a public computer, for example, at your local library.
- Blackburn with Darwen - libraries
- Cumbria County Council - libraries
- Lancashire County Council - computers and wifi in libraries
Our Digital Future
The Wavemaker mobile digital classroom training sessions were offered as part of Our Digital Future, the digital strategy for Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria.
Dr Amanda Thornton, Digital Health Clinical Lead for Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria said:
“We want to empower every person to feel confident and capable of making informed decisions about their health and wellbeing and technology is already playing an important part in supporting this.
By becoming confident to go online, local people will have access to manage their own health and wellbeing more easily – whenever they want to and wherever they are. There are many different ways you can access health services and advice online - including booking doctor's appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions, as well as through a wide range of health apps and websites designed to help you look after your health and wellbeing - whether you want to better manage an existing condition, get fit or try out something new such as mindfulness.”
Benedict McManus, Wavemaker Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director added:
“Wavemaker believes in tech for good, for all. Technology can not only improve the way we live but can also be engaging and fun. We are very proud to be working with Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria in bringing our digital health workshops to Lancashire and South Cumbria.”
For more information, please visit www.healthierlsc.co.uk/digitalfuture or follow us on Twitter @healthierlsc #HLSCDigital