Local doctors reach out in video and audio

A screenshot of some of the videos available on the Primary Care Academy web site

A number of GPs in the Rochdale borough have recorded health advice videos and audio to help the local community understand more about Covid-19 during this pandemic. The messages are provided in a variety of languages spoken in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale.

The advice includes contributions from local GPs Dr Chris Duffy, Dr Joseph Omofuma, Dr Venkatesh Mallya plus Bury GP Dr Fazel Butt - whilst Dr Babar Ghafoor conducted a message and interview in Urdu on the local Crescent radio. A local Practice Manager, Jenna Johnson has also recorded guidance for the community on the subject of self-isolation and sick notes.

To access the health and advice videos and audio go to the Primary Care Academy Covid-19 Media Page:

• www.hmrpca.co.uk/covid-19-media

Primary Care Academy (PCA) Director Dr Gill Tonge said: “This is a welcome resource which we developed with our fellow health professionals, in response to the need to proactively engage all of our diverse community with key Covid-19 messages during these challenging times.

We have already had feedback from many, including health and care professionals in the community, indicating that they have found these resources really helpful in understanding the Covid-19 disease and its wider implications. We are also extremely grateful to Ask Doc, HMR Clinical Commissioning Group, and other health professionals for allowing us to use their videos and audio recordings and also Crescent Radio for giving us the airtime.”

HMR Primary Care Academy, set up in 2018 (part of Rochdale Health Alliance) is an institution for the advancement of primary care in HMR. It provides training courses, education and research working across Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale. The Primary Care Academy provides opportunities for people already working in primary care or entering primary care.