Helping People Live Healthier for Longer
BCHC Charity has been supporting early intervention projects across the Trust to promote healthy living, thanks to generous funding from NHS Charities Together.
One initiative supported by the charity is the Healthy Hearts project, which aims to promote life-saving techniques across the city. Thanks to funding from the charity, 16 new automated electronic defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed outside BCHC bases around Birmingham, and the Resuscitation Team have visited six schools and colleges to deliver cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to students and teachers alike.
The Falls Prevention service has also benefited from charity funding, which provided informational resources and replacement ferrules (the rubber stoppers on the bottom of walking aids). The service visited 19 community centres, care homes and supermarkets from August 2022 to April 2023, giving out information on walking stick care and performing ‘walking stick MOTs’. The extra ferrules enabled the Falls Prevention team to replace any that were worse for wear, helping to prevent falls by ensuring the walking aids are fit for purpose with a strong grip. The charity also funded the production of an educational video in multiple languages for the team called 'Simple Things', which details small changes or activities you can do to prevent falls. The video went on to win a FAB Award, which recognises innovation and equality in NHS services and initiatives.
On 29th July 2022, the Diabetes Team hosted an educational livestream titled ‘Diabetes & Me: Mid-Morning Tea & Talk Show’, in which expert health panellists and patients living with diabetes discussed the impact of COVID-19 on those with diabetes, understanding carbohydrates, busting myths and misconceptions about living with diabetes, and more. Funded by BCHC Charity, the stream was watched live by 46 viewers and has since had 394 views. Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist Beverley Cunningham said, “The evaluation forms received were a delight to read. Feedback stated that the content delivered was well presented, informative and interesting. The content was thought to be useful, in particular the diet section, myths and misconceptions, patient education, patient stories and the live Q&A section.”
Podiatrists Becky Byrne & Jo Harper attended the Heartland Resource Centre, which provides activities and support for people with Learning Disabilities, on 14th June 2023. The team discussed all things feet and showcasing the T-Pressure plate, funded by BCHC Charity; a machine which can detect and display the pressure exerted on our feet, used to help diagnose and assess foot conditions. The team demonstrated how pressure areas change as the feet carry out different functions like standing on toes, standing on one foot, or marching on the spot. A model leg also provided by the charity was used as a visual aid to show all the structures beneath the skin. Jo said, “The equipment was brilliant and really helped provide a practical interactive element to the talk.”
The charity also hosted 2 educational family fun days reaching over 800 people at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) Birmingham in Cannon Hill Park, with staff from across Team BCHC providing information, family friendly activities, resources to promote healthy living, and CPR Superstar training.
Due to the success of the early intervention projects, BCHC Charity has set up the Healthy Hearts fund to raise funds to continue supporting these projects, and more, to promote healthy living, doing more for a healthier Birmingham.