Home2024-03-22T23:18:49+00:00

A Welcome Message from our Chairman – Professor Romesh Gupta OBE

Dear Reader,

First of all, a very warm welcome to our website from all here at NFHW.
Having survived two post COVID19 years, it’s a great pleasure to write to you
again!
Maybe you have visited these pages today to find a specific piece of
information or maybe watch one of our YouTube presentations. Perhaps you
are just browsing through to see if anything captures your interest. Whatever
the reason, we are glad to have you with us. Please take time to discover the
increasingly wide range of original material supporting good practice in
community health promotion available on this site, which we continue to add
to on a regular basis.
Please also take a moment to note our next major event. The Preston Health
Mela will be held on Saturday, April 13 th in the Foster Building at the University
of Central Lancashire (UCLan). This year, we will also hold Health Melas at
UCLan’s Burnley campus on 11 th May 2024 and at Chorley in autumn.
In addition we have held several free public engagement seminars at the
School of Medicine and Dentistry, UCLan, as part of our commitment to
‘empowering communities to take charge of their own health’. So far, these
seminars have covered topics such as Post COVID19 Mental Health,
Women’s Health, Chronic Pain, Men’s Health and so on. These interactive
presentations by experts in the field have become very popular in the last two
years. Please check for our future public engagement seminars.
We also celebrated 20 Years of our success by bringing out a brochure
covering out achievements. You may read it at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4djmluvofgg6mxq/NFHW-20-anniversary-
spreads.pdf?dl=0
In November 2023, our members Dr Abhay Vaidya, Professor Romesh Gupta
and Mr Ravin Shah presented a paper entitled  ‘Empowering Communities
– Health Mela Experience’ at the 14 th  BIDA International Scientific Congress
held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The presentation generated wide ranging
discussion and interest in the concept of Health Mela.

This year our Health Mela case study has been accepted as an example of
good practice to be included in the updated ‘Maximising Population Health
and Curriculum’ toolkit published by NHS South, Central and West
Commissioning Support Unit.
Where now for the NFHW? Our organisation is built upon the guiding principle
that one of the best ways to achieve the overall health improvement of the
Nation involves empowering communities and individuals to take control of
their own lifestyles. They need to identify as active partners with health
professionals in promoting and maintaining their best possible health
outcomes at all ages. This partnership is good news for individuals and
families who stand to be relieved of many of the burdens of ill health. It is also
good news for our severely stretched NHS, potentially allowing the gradual
re-orientation of the Service to increase its activity in health promotion and
disease prevention.
So – we will continue to develop our existing programmes, be on the lookout
for and quick to identify and adapt to new opportunities.
If you have any ideas about partnership working towards health improvement
to discuss, have news about existing schemes you would like to circulate or
are looking for ideas or help with a potential health improvement project, we
would love to hear from you.
Let’s get back to the future! Do visit us again soon.

Professor Romesh Gupta OBE
Chair
March 2024

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ABOUT US

Formed in 2001 as the Lancashire Gujarat Health Users’ Forum, the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing is a registered charity that specialises in helping local communities to take greater responsibility for protecting and managing their own health.

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TESTIMONIALS

“The Health Mela is an example of good practice to health professionals across the UK. It’s an example of how to work with community leaders to engage with ethnic minority groups who traditionally don’t access NHS services because of fear or apprehension. I was delighted to open the event, which is a great way to encourage people from minority ethnic communities to meet health experts and get informal and friendly advice.”

Prof Rahman Bedi, Chief Dental Officer
“This is a unique experience. I have not experienced anything of its kind and on this scale in my life. I
am pleasantly surprised and impressed to see people from various generations and backgrounds coming to the Mela and taking full advantage of the various health advice and health checks available.”
Professor Sir Graeme Catto, President of the General Medical Council
“The Health Mela is a shining example of good practice to health professionals across the U.K. of how to work with community leaders to engage with ethnic minority groups. The importance of encouraging greater health awareness cannot be underestimated, particularly among communities, which traditionally have been reluctant to access health services because of their fear or apprehension. It also serves as a showcase for Asian lifestyle and culture to boost community links.”
Professor Dame Christine Beasley, Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health, England
“The energy and commitment of everyone involved in the Mela was plain to see. I was particularly pleased to have the chance to talk to the Manchester medical students about the health checks they were doing (under appropriate supervision!) and they were hugely impressive. Raising awareness about how we can take control of our health and well being is a really important issue in the UK today – the Mela manages to do this, while being fun and relaxed too.”
Paul Buckley, Director of Education and Standards, General Medical Council