Film Project To Promote Health and Social Work Services

The Highland Council in partnership with NHS Highland have commissioned a series of Public Information videos of 60-90 second duration, to be screened at a special community roadshow in the Eastgate Centre in Inverness from Monday 28 January for seven days.
 
Themes covered in the infomercials include the recruitment of workers to the Council’s Care at Home service; mental health promotion and awareness, and information about accessing Primary Care services by Eastern European immigrants.

Three days of filming took place in Nairn last week.  Each of the short films produced will include a voice-over in both English and Polish and footage will be also placed on the Council’s website and used to support further publicity drives.
 
Chairman of The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee, Councillor Margaret Davidson was very supportive of the project.  She said:  “The delivery of Care at Home services is a key priority for The Highland Council, which has committed significant new investment in home-based care to support more people at home. Members of the Polish and Eastern European Community can make a valuable contribution to services, and we recognise the level of skill and experience in social care that many people have brought to Highland. Making these short films is an innovative way of relaying information about our services and how they can be accessed by everyone, especially families who have recently moved to the Highlands. As well as giving details on how people can get a full range of medical care, they will be a very helpful tool in recruiting new staff who have experience in working in a care setting.”

Assistant General Manager with the South East Highland Community Health Partnership JeanPierre Sieczkarek said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Highland Council on this innovative way of getting out important messages to all sections of our community. Both the NHS and the Council are passionate about improving mental health and wellbeing and encouraging people to talk about their feelings and to feel comfortable getting help. It’s really important we get that message to people in the Polish Community.” 

On recruiting home carers Mr Sieczkarek said: “It may look like this is only an issue for the Council but in reality it’s vital that we have staff in the community able to support people coming out of hospital and potentially allowing them to be treated at home.”