LIVING with long-term illness is at the heart of a free course designed to help people cope better with the pain and build their confidence.

The Expert Patient Programme is coming to Turnpike House Medical Centre, Newtown Road, Worcester, between today and Monday, February 18.

The programme aims to help people manage their condition, build on their own coping skills and improve the quality of their lives.

It is aimed at people with a long-term illness such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, MS, arthritis, ME or Parkinson's and chronic lung disease.

Worcestershire PCT is organising the free course, consisting of sessions lasting two-and-a-half hours, one day each week for six weeks.

The course is run by volunteers who have a long-term condition.

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.

Sally Harvey, a volunteer tutor, said: "I would urge people with a long-term condition to consider undertaking this course. I did it more than two 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 is at Turnpike House Medical Centre, Newtown Road, Worcester on Mondays from 10am to 12.30pm.

For details contact Annette Jaep on 01527 507055.