Help yourself to better health

Help yourself to better health at the library!

The Help yourself to better heath service is offered by NHS Kirklees in partnership with Kirklees Culture and Leisure Services.

It follows an adaptation of the Books on Prescription scheme and allows GPs, health professionals and other front line staff to signpost patients on to high quality self help books. By directing people to the right information about their long term conditions, and giving them the confidence to use the information, we can help them to feel more in control of their condition and empower them to live independently.

There is a selection of good quality books in local libraries that people can access to find information to help them manage their health condition.

All of the resources have been approved by health professionals and have an NHS Recommended sticker on them, so you can be sure you are signposting to good quality, accurate material.

The service includes books on a range of health conditions and psychological problems. Most of the books on the scheme use structured Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) approaches to help individuals self care. The collection of self help resources in libraries and mobile
libraries include:

  • Resources for long- term health conditions such as diabetes,
    heart disease, asthma, depression and anxiety and back
    pain. Resources range from easy reading to workbooks and
    structured step-by-step self help.
  • A small collection of CDs in community languages e.g. Urdu,
    Punjabi, Gujarati.
  • Books for carers and parents.
  • Resources that contain accessible language and information at an appropriate level e.g. with clear print and illustrations.
  • Interactive CD roms and spoken word CDs containing health
    information in alternative formats.