Burnley Mayor Councillor Paul Reynolds praised the work of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing (NFHW) as he officially opened the Burnley Health Mela on Saturday, 16 May 2026, at the University of Lancashire’s Victoria Mill Burnley Campus.

“I applaud the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing for doing the brilliant work of educating communities about their health and encouraging individuals to take control of their own health,” said Councillor Reynolds. “The organisation has been doing great work for the last 25 years and I wish NFHW every success in its future journey.”

The Burnley Health Mela was the third event organised by NFHW as part of its Silver Jubilee celebrations. The day began with the organisation’s now traditional breakfast meeting, which focused this year on the theme of “Digital Exclusion”.

Welcoming guests to the event, Russell Hogarth, Community Engagement Officer for NFHW, introduced the Mayor and his consort, Professor Romesh Gupta, Chairman of NFHW, Professor Amit Sinha, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Editor-in-Chief of the BIDA Journal, and Dr Leena Saxena, GP from Wigan and keynote speaker for the event.

Mr Hogarth also thanked the University of Lancashire and the School of Medicine and Dentistry for their continued support in hosting the event. He paid particular tribute to university staff, especially Dr Chris Smith, Deputy Associate Dean and Dr Daniel Waller, Academic Director of CPD involved in organising the day before handing proceedings over to Professor Gupta.

Introducing the discussion topic, Professor Gupta highlighted both the opportunities and challenges created by the increasing digitalisation of healthcare services.

“Healthcare has evolved from paper records to computers and smartphones,” he said. “While digitalisation aims to improve access to services, the transition has not been easy for everyone.”

In his address, Councillor Reynolds acknowledged the growing role of technology in healthcare but stressed the continuing importance of personal interaction.

“There is a place for technology in every field in the right context,” he said. “When it comes to healthcare discussions, personally I would rather have a face-to-face consultation with a healthcare professional than an AI consultation. Wellbeing is important to all of us, and we should be the masters of AI, not its servants.”

Professor Amit Sinha spoke about the increasing emphasis placed on digital healthcare training within universities but warned that many people remain unable to access such services because of digital illiteracy or limited access to the internet and technology.

“We must ensure that those who need help the most are not left behind,” he said.

Dr Leena Saxena explored both the advantages and challenges of digital healthcare services. She highlighted the difficulties faced by individuals who may struggle to use digital platforms due to physical or mental health issues and stressed the anxiety this can create for patients and families alike.

She called for healthcare systems to be adapted to ensure that services remain accessible, inclusive and user-friendly for everyone.

The presentations were followed by a lively audience debate, with healthcare professionals and service users sharing their experiences and concerns regarding access to digital healthcare services.

At 11am, dignitaries moved to the main display hall for the formal opening ceremony. Following introductions by Russell Hogarth, the event began with a traditional Indian classical dance performance by Ms Jemini Bhalsod and Priti Merei both from Holistic Living Group.

Professor Romesh Gupta then gave a brief history of the Health Mela initiative, outlining NFHW’s aims and achievements over the past 25 years.

He revealed that the organisation has hosted nearly 80 Health Melas across the UK and overseas, with more than 10,000 people receiving Health MOTs, helping identify previously undiagnosed health risks and prompting referrals for further medical follow-up.

Councillor Reynolds officially declared the event open and applauded NFHW for its continued contribution to community health awareness.

During the ceremony, NFHW Fellowships were presented to Mr Ian Smith and Ms Stephanie Holmes, CEO of Chrysalis trans sexual support group, Preston branch, in recognition of their support in promoting the organisation’s aims and objectives.

More than 40 health and wellbeing stalls featured throughout the day. Health MOTs were carried out by medical and pharmacy students under senior supervision, while the Blood Drop team provided blood testing services. Expert health advice was provided by Dr Sameer Shah, Dr Asurlekar  and Ms Ann Urnstrong.

More than 300 visitors attended the Health Mela, which organisers described as another successful community health awareness event delivered in a friendly and welcoming environment.

The event concluded at 3pm.

The next Health Mela is scheduled to take place in Leyland on 26 September.