Signposting

Here is an overview of the services provided by NHS England.

Some of these services include:

• Emergency and Urgent care
• General Practitioners (GP's)
• Self Help services - such as pharmacies
• Dental care

However choosing the service which best suits you is not always easy and there can often be more than one avenue that suits your situation.

If your not sure on which route to take, please use the check list below to help you identify the best starting point based on your needs.

Call NHS 111 if you urgently need medical help or advice but it's not a life threatening situation. You can call NHS 111 if you're not sure which NHS service your need

Ask your local Pharmacist for advice - your pharmacist can give you advice for many common minor illnesses, such as diarrhoea, minor infections, headache, travel advice or sore throats - NHS Choices

Make an appointment with your GP if you are feeling unwell and it is not an emergency

Visit a walk-in/urgent care centre if you have a minor illness or injury (cuts, sprains or rashes) and it cant wait until your GP surgery is open

Call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk

First Contact Plus 

First Contact Plus is an online tool which helps adults in Leicestershire find information about a range of services all in one place.

The initiative allows residents who require help with one or a number of issues to access a catalouge of information, advice, help and support.

First Contact Plus is a self referral service

They offer help and support covering a range off issues, including:

• Improving Your Health
• Falls
• Feeling Safe
• Living Independently
• Money, Debts and Benefits
• Work, Learning and Volunteering
• Families and Relationships
• Your Home

For more information please visit their website First Contact Plus or call them on 0116 305 4286 or email firstcontact@leics.gov.uk 

Smoking and reasons for giving up

 Don't give up giving up!

Smoking kills 120,000 people each year in the UK. Smokers are 50% more likely to get ill and die.

Nicotine in cigarettes is ten times more addictive than heroin. It is never to late to stop smoking.

Tips for Stopping

• Make sure you plan for your quit attempt
• Pick a date to quit and stick to it
• Get support from family and friends
• Reward yourself - use the money you have saved

Stay positive and focused and take one day at a time.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and Zyban

These products will double your chances of successfully quitting. Contact our local pharmacy or the practice for more information.

For Help and Support

There are many ways in which you can quit smoking. However with the right help and support you are more likely to stay smoke free.

1. Call NHS Smoking Helpline on 0800 169 0169 or
2. Quit Ready on 0345 646 66 66 or visit their website Quit Ready

Self referral to Physiotherapy

If you feel that you could benefit from Physiotherapy and don't want to wait weeks for an appointment please contact Physiotherapy Direct on 0300 300 0046 during the telephone consultation you will be asked for the following:

• Your NHS number (your surgery can provide this information)
• Your current address and mobile/home number(s)
• Your Next of Kin details - such as contact information
• GP Surgery name and address

Please make sure that you have this information to hand when contacting the Physiotherapy Team. You may also be asked for information relating to your problem, your communication needs and your ethnicity.

Click here to download the Physiotherapy Direct Self Referral Card

BPAS     

If you discover that you have a pregnancy that you feel you are unable to continue with, Bpas will provide help and support so that you can make a decision that is fight for you. In addition to abortion advice and treatment, Bpas provide other services through their network of reproductive healthcare centres, which include:

• Pregnancy testing 
• Counselling
• Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening
• Contraception
• Vasectomy 

You can self refer to their services just complete the Self referral form or call them on 03457 30 40 30 to book an appointment. 

Click here to find your nearest clinic

Safeline 

Safeline is a leading specialist charity for sexual abuse and rape providing helpline and online support services throughout the UK. 

It offers free services to people of all ages, who are survivors of abuse including their families and friends. 

#5MillionMen and #8MillionWomen in the UK have been affected by sexual abuse and rape

At Safeline they offer:

• Supporting - offering counselling and support services to those who have been affected by the traumas that sexual abuse, rape and their associated issues reveal
• Preventing - actively working towards stopping rape and sexual abuse from happening

For more information please visit Safeline or alternatively contact them on 0808 800 5008 or email them on support@safeline.org.uk 

Click here For more information - United Against Violence & Abuse

Change 4 Life

There are many ways in which to ensure that your children are getting enough of the correct foods, sugars, proteins and other essential vitamins within their daily diets. By joining Change 4 Life you can get money off vouchers, top tips on how to start making healthier choices for your children.

Millions of families have already made healthier changes - you can, too!

 To sign up Click here to Join Change4Life and start making healthier  choices for your family. You can also use their FREE app to access over 160 quick, easy and tasty recipes with step by step videos. 

Get it on Google Play         Available on the App Store

 For more information about Change 4 Life please visit their website Change 4 Life

           Change4Life Snacking    Change4Life Teeth Hygiene   Change4Life Dental Top Tip

 Fun ideas to help your kids stay healthy

Local Area Coordinator

Vicky Utting is our Local Area Coordinator, the areas that she covers are Agar Nook, Greenhill, Coalville East & West and Snibston North & South.

Some of the services that she can offer to you and your family include:

• Help setting goals
• Provides information
• Provides support people to access the right services if required
• Listen to ideas from the community
• Connects people to groups for informal support
• Spends time to understand a person's strengths and aspirations

 To get in touch with Vicky please contact her on 07534 263203 or for more information 

Click here to download the Local Area Coordinator leaflet

Podiatry

Podiatry services aim to keep the population mobile, help users to keep their independence and maintain their quality of life, by providing an expert and complete range of services for those with a clinical, medical and/or physical need. These services include:

• Corn, Callious and nail treatment
• High risk diabetic foot ulcer care
• Complex biomechanical assessment and treatment
• Provision of insoles and Orthoctics

Treatment plans are individual aiming to either resolve the problem or to reach a level of maintenance and comfort.

Click here to download the Podiatry Self-referral form you may need your NHS number, if you don't already know it just contact reception and this can be provided to you.

LEAP - Lifestyle, Eating, Activity Programme

LEAP is a completely FREE 10 week weight management programme for adults in Leicestershire. It combines nutrition sessions led by a registered dietician followed by an exercise session with an activity instructor.

Fed up of dieting then this programme is for you - You can learn topics such as:

• Balanced eating
• Portion sizes
• How to read food labels
• Eating out the healthy way
• Emotional eating
• Why 'diets' don't work
• Which exercises suit you and your needs best

LEAP has already helped hundreds of people across Leicestershire lose weight - and keep it off !!

 If this service is something that you feel would benefit your self please call them on 0116 222 7154

• Weight Management 
• Nutrition
• Keep Fit & Exercise Classes

DHAL - Diet, Health and Activity in Leicester  

DHAL is a 10 week weight management programme targeting the South Asian community in Leicester. It is run by Leicestershire Nutrition & Dietetic services working in partnership with physical activity instructors. 

For more information  Click here to download the DHAL information sheet or call them on 0116 222 7154

The Silver Line Charity

There is no need to be alone!

The Silver Line Charity is a helpline for older people. It is FREE and confidential helpline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. They offer information, advice and friendship through their helpline and services.

More than half of people aged 75 and over live alone with 1 in 10 suffering intense loneliness.

Some of the services available include:

• Telephone Friendship - a weekly 30 minute call between an older person and a Silver Line Friend Volunteer
• Silver Letters - a fortnightly exchange of a letter between an older person and a volunteer Silver Line Friend
• Silver Circles - a call between a group of older people on a shared interest or topic, taking place each week for 60 minutes
• Silver Line Connects - help with informing and connecting an older person with national and local services

For more information please visit their website The Silver Line Charity or call them on 0800 470 80 90

Lamp Mental Health

Lamp has and always will be a champion for mental health. We are an independent mental health charity founded in 1989. Our service is independent, confidential, trusted and non-judgemental. We provide free community mental health advocacy for people living in Leicester, and Carers Advocacy for people living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Our aim is for you to feel valued, listened to and more able to cope, and to be able to access the services to support your needs through:

• Finding the right information
• Knowing your rights
• Understanding mental health

• Express your views
• Supporting Carers

for more information please visit https://www.lampadvocacy.co.uk/ 

Lets Talk Wellbeing

The service provides psychological assessment and treatment (talking therapies) for common mental health problems, which 1 in 4 of us will suffer with at some stage in our lives. This includes depression, anxiety, panic, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), trauma and stress.

It is normal to experience changes in your mood and behaviour at times of stress and emotional upset. Your physical health may also affect your mood and stress levels. If these changes continue to affect you, then the Let's Talk-Wellbeing service could help.

you can self refer into the service using the website https://www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/leicestershire-county-and-rutland-service

alternatively you can contact them via telephone on  0300 300 2200. You can also complete their online self-referral form by following this link Lets Talk Self-Referral