Leeds Children’s Hospital staff will take Asthma, Diabetes, Dental and Weight Management services on the road to deliver free, fun, health promotion activities for families in Kirkgate Market in the centre of Leeds this Saturday. This weekend’s ‘Super Saturday’ event has been made possible thanks to the generous donations of supporters of Leeds Hospitals Charity.
On Saturday 7 September, 10am-3pm, children’s hospital Nurse Specialists, Physiotherapists, Doctors, Play Specialists and Dentists from Leeds Dental Institute will set up health promotion stalls and activities inside Kirkgate Market including:
- A type 1 diabetes themed Teddy Bears’ Picnic
- A design your own inhaler cover workshop
- A guess the number of sugar cubes in well-known snacks games
- An oral health photo booth and games
Families will also have the opportunity to pick up free oral health goody bags, free fruit and enter competitions, with a chance to win an electric toothbrush or a customised inhaler cover created by The Inhaler Tailor.
The event supports the NHS Core20PLUS5 national approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. This approach seeks to improve healthcare education and access for the most deprived ‘20’% of the population and other population groups who may struggle to access healthcare for children and young people. The ‘5’ represents the clinical areas with the greatest opportunities to narrow the current gap in life expectancy due to healthcare inequalities: asthma, diabetes, mental health, epilepsy, oral health.
Leeds Children’s Hospital staff aim to improve child health by reaching families with this innovative approach, with health education delivered through fun, drop-in activities away from traditional healthcare settings.
At the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, children and parents can pick up information about healthy eating and how to manage type1 diabetes. While designing a colourful inhaler cover, families can chat to specialist Asthma Nurses and learn more about good inhaler technique and how to prevent asthma flare-ups that can lead to hospital admissions. Children visiting the Oral Health Photobooth can learn about good tooth brushing practices and take away free oral health goody bags.
Asthma Nurse Specialist Matthew Hick said:
‘Our specialist team are keen to help educate our children, young people and families to feel confident in managing asthma. Fun events in the city centre are a way to reach families with important information in a way that works for them. We hope events like today will lead to fewer children suffering from uncontrolled asthma and ending up in hospital’
Speciality Registrar (Leeds Dental Institute) Shimal Némat said:
‘Dental decay can be prevented by simple changes like brushing twice daily with a fluoridated toothpaste and reducing the frequency of sugary snacks. Educating children and families in a fun way will help to prevent dental decay, reduce toothache and the need for more complex treatments in the future!’
Hospital staff also aim to speak to families to understand more about any barriers to accessing health care, with the aim of improving local children’s services.
This is the fifth in a series of Super Saturday events at Leeds Children’s Hospital and the first time that the event has been delivered in the city centre. Activities have been funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity who will also support the event on the day.
Rebecca Baldaro-Booth, Head of Grants at Leeds Hospitals Charity said:
‘Leeds Hospitals Charity is committed to tackling health inequalities across the region. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are proud to fund the Super Saturday event, which offers local families in Leeds the opportunity to speak to experts about a range of health conditions, so that they are better able to manage them. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Leeds Children’s Hospital on this important initiative. Together, we can change health outcomes for the better’
