Wellington Medical Centre hosted the first Medical Fair to be held in Wellington on 22nd March. Providing local people with information regarding help and advice available to them, the idea aims to allow individuals to be more health conscious and to be more responsible for their own well-being.

Organisations represented at the Fair ranged from those relating to dementia, to common allergies. Somerset Care, one of the area’s largest care providers, and Deane Helpline were also there. Rebecca Pow, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Taunton Deane, went along to the event and discussed with Julie Foster and Viv Knighton the successful Lifeline service offered by Deane Helpline, which is valued by all members of the community, especially the elderly.

By wearing a Lifeline unit people are able to stay at home but have access to emergency care should they need it, simply by pressing a button. For people whose carers have to go into hospital, the service is now available free for 6 weeks, something the Deane team, based at Kilkenny Court in Taunton, are making people aware of.  

"This medical fair is a really good idea. There is lots of medical help and advice available if you know where to look and this event certainly highlighted that. Giving people the right tools so that they can take more responsibility for some aspects of their own health will benefit not just individuals but the health service too" says Rebecca, Prospective MP for Taunton Deane.