Heartbeat: Ahead of the game on health awareness
May 9, 2019
A wide range of games are available for colleagues from library services in the Education Centre, Sandwell to boost knowledge and awareness of health issues ranging from stress, renal, healthy eating, food hygiene and more. These games are perfect for study days and team away days.
Library and Knowledge Services Manager, Preeti Puligari says: “The stress game is a great example of a fun and interactive way to raise awareness of stress and stimulate a conversation within the team on how to manage it.”
The occupational health clinical team highly recommend the game. Jenny Wright, Health & Wellbeing Manager states: “The team thought the game was easy to use and understand and it was quick to set up and play. The stress game can be used within any team setting and is a good tool for team building exercises and for those teams that report feeling stressed. It created conversation and generated considered responses within our team around stress and general health and wellbeing.
“We recommend its use throughout our organisation, for team building and to share information and understanding of the issues around stress and stress factors.”
Other games include the ‘communications game’, a jargon buster game that helps medical professionals explain medical conditions and treatments to children without use of jargon and a ‘teams that care’ game to improve team performance.
The games can generate many benefits for the community too. Preeti explains, “In
April, library services are training 16 secondary school children in Sandwell to use and review games on topics ranging from sleep, healthy eating and body image. They will learn how to search for health information and use the games to share health messages with their peers.
“For SWB colleagues, games can be loaned for QIHDs, study days, away days and training sessions and we welcome recommendations to purchase new games that colleagues think would be useful for their team.
“Any colleague can loan games from the library and if the game you want is not available, please ask the library to purchase it.”
A catalogue of games is available from the library. Get in touch with library services by email: swbh.library@nhs.net or ext. 3112 with suggestions for purchase.