ADULTS with long term illnesses like diabetes and heart disease could have their lives ‘transformed’ by a free course designed to help them cope.

The course will be held at Upton Surgery, Upton-upon-Severn on Mondays and Thursday mornings in September.

The Expert Patient Programme is is aimed at people with a long-term illness such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, MS, arthritis, ME, Parkinson’s, chronic lung disease and other conditions.

Sally Harvey, a volunteer tutor said: “I would urge people with a long term condition to consider undertaking this course. I did it about two and a half years ago and my life has been transformed.

“I found it difficult to go outside and get in my car let alone drive it – I now travel all over Worcestershire as a volunteer tutor and have had a new lease of life.

"We limit the course to about 16-20 people at one time so that we can work individually with people within the group.”

The courses, organised by Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, consist of 21 sessions lasting two hours each and run over a period of six weeks and are run by volunteers who themselves have a long term condition.

A PCT spokesman said research has shown that whatever the illness, the things patients have to deal with on a day-to-day basis are similar - tiredness, pain, lack of confidence and self esteem.

The programme aims to tackle this by giving people self-help skills and the opportunity to share experiences within a small friendly group.

The course also complements traditional medical approaches, giving it the backing from healthcare professionals.

For more information or to book a place, please contact Annette Jaep on 01527 507055.