HEALTH initiatives in place across Guiseley and Otley are being heralded a fantastic success.

Andrea Walker, Guiseley and Otley locality manager for the Leeds North West Primary Care Group, (PCG) has said that three local initiatives are going from strength to strength.

She delivered the news as part of a presentation to board members at the PCG meeting held on Thursday last week at Rawdon's Greenacre Community Hall.

Two youth initiatives were discussed, Kidscope and WACY, and Mrs Walker said she is delighted with their success.

The Kidscope initiative provides professional help and advice for families finding it difficult to cope with behavioural and health problems.

The initiative is multi-disciplinary and sees health visitors, nurses, therapists and paediatricians along with other professionals helping families deal with their problems by offering immediate help or suggesting sources of help.

The sessions take place twice a month at the Otley Clinic in Manor Square and now Yeadon Health Centre.

WACY, which stands for Walk-in Advice Centre for Youths, has also been declared a huge success by Mrs Walker.

The event runs once a week at Otley clinic and youngsters are encouraged to drop in for advice on health matters.

Youngsters are free to drop in to the sessions on their own or in groups, and the sessions are relaxed and informal.

The sessions are attended by youth workers, social services, addiction unit workers and other professionals who can give advice and support on a number of health matters.

Mrs Walker said: "This is proving to be a huge success, we tend to see youngsters come in in groups, but we don't mind that.

"The sessions are only appealing to Otley school children at the moment because of the location, but we are hoping to expand further."

l WACY sessions run weekly at the Otley clinic every Thursday between 3.30pm and 5.30pm and Kidscope runs at Yeadon Health Centre on the second and fourth Thursday of every month and at Otley clinic on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. For further details contact Otley Clinic on (01943) 850182.