Click away for medical help

PEOPLE suffering from long-term medical conditions are now just a click away from finding out about where to turn to for help and even how to make contact with others in similar situations, thanks to a new website.

Living Life is a one-stop-shop website being launched this week that offers information on a range of long-term conditions that affect more than 100,000 people in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area.

The website, introduced by NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney, also gives hints and tips on how patients can help themselves, and features an interactive forum where people can share their experiences and offer each other support.

Trust chairman David Edwards launched the website www.livinglife.gyw.nhs.uk last week and said it was hoped that GPs and other health professionals will recommend the website to patients.

'More than 100,000 people who live in the area served by the PCT have one or more long term condition - so improving the support we offer them is vitally important,' he said.

'The website offers a huge wealth of information on an extensive range of conditions, which will be added to all the time. As well as being available around the clock, it is fully interactive and offers specially tailored information specific to the area we serve.

'People can use the site to find local support groups, get tips on how best to help themselves and share their thoughts and experiences with others so they can move towards self-managing their condition as much as possible.

'We hope it will put patients and their carers right at the heart of the services they receive and prove an extremely useful tool for those wanting help or advice.'

Patients can also keep an electronic diary of their personal health plan on the website in a password-protected area.

The medical advice featured on the website has been drawn up by Gorleston GP Dr Vincent Forte, the inventor of the award-winning Peezy device designed to make it easier for women to give urine samples.