Rural residents have been supported by an initiative which has seen healthcare services travel to them.

Northumbria Healthcare's Enhanced Care for Older People (EnCOP) initiative brought healthcare directly to the doorstep of rural residents.

The team conducted a drop-in session aboard MELISSA, a specially designed double-decker bus, in the Haltwhistle area.

The bus itself is dedicated to delivering healthcare, education, and training across the North East and North Cumbria regions.

The event witnessed the attendance of various specialist teams from Northumbria Healthcare including those specialising in medicines, carer support, maintaining an active lifestyle, and frailty.

The primary objective was to educate and empower older patients by giving them tools for effective care management.

More than 50 attendees, including both patients and staff, learned about various aspects of care such as nutrition, diet, and proper medicine management.

The session also saw the presence of organisations such as Age UK and Northumberland Domestic Abuse Services.

This marked a collaborative effort to address the diverse needs of our ageing population.

This event was the first stop in the Trust's EnCOP roadshow, which has planned visits to six sites across Northumberland and North Tyneside, each focusing on a different theme.

Elaine Francis, physiotherapist and lead educator at EnCOP, said: "Community events like this provide our teams with a valuable platform to raise awareness about the work that we do.

"Ageing and living well is a priority, and maintaining good health significantly improves our quality of life in later years.

"Our team is dedicated to empowering people to improve their health and wellbeing as they get older."

Clare Collins, pharmacy technician and EnCOP community champion, added: "The MELISSA drop-in session tour underscores the commitment of Northumbria Healthcare to engage directly with communities, working in partnership with other organisations to provide proactive healthcare management.

"We look forward to continuing to replicate this event across the region and bringing empowering and educational events to people’s doorsteps."

The EnCOP team will be attending the Living and Ageing Well event on March 6 at Berwick Infirmary and Alnwick Infirmary.

The event will be available at Berwick from 9.30am to 11.30am before relocating to Alnwick Infirmary from 1.00pm to 3.00pm.