Your Health and Wellbeing
In an emergency always call 999
All non-emergencies call 101
What support will I get with my health when I leave care?
When you leave care your Personal Adviser will help you to register with a GP, dentist and opticians. You will also receive a copy of your health history.
You will then be responsible for your own health but you can ask your social worker or PA for support. You'll then need to book your own health appointments, make sure you eat healthily, get plenty of exercise and enough sleep. If you do have any concerns regarding your health or wellbeing, then it is important that you seek support and advice from a professional such as your GP or Personal Adviser.
If you have a long term illness or disability which you need support with, your social worker and personal adviser will discuss it with you before you leave care and the planned support will be clearly written in your pathway plan.
Here we've included links to more information covering:
Health and Fitness
Advice on good health choices from Change for life. You can also get a free app on your phone with recipes and keep fit advice.
We offer £5 per week up until the age of 19 years, to pay towards gym membership or swimming etc.
Healthy Weight - Provides links to a range of advice and support services about healthy eating and keeping active.
General health and wellbeing
Helpful phone numbers
- NHS 111 is a totally confidential telephone helpline that can help anyone out with virtually any health question 24 hours a day on telephone number 111 or by visiting www.nhs.uk/111.
- You can go to a NHS walk-in centre, even if you have your own GP.
- Many universities run their own health service too, which makes it easier if you are away from home
- Some GPs even run special clinics for young people
- In an emergency always call 999
- All non-emergencies call 101
Find information on all aspects of life in Milton Keynes for young people including lifestyle issues, health, counselling services, night life and lots more on MKweb
It's worth knowing you can get free prescriptions, glasses and dental treatment until the age of 18 so make sure you have regular appointments with the opticians and dentist as this may save you money in the future. After the age of 18 you may still be able to receive free prescriptions, glasses and dentistry if you are still in full time education or claiming benefits. To find out if you are eligible, you will need to speak to the health provider or speak to your Personal Adviser who will be able to point you in the right direction.
Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Many of us don’t like to ask for help. We don’t like to burden other people and we are worried about what they will think of what we tell them. Yet most of us would want to help our friends and family if we thought they were having a hard time, so why would they feel any differently towards you?
People offering support will not judge, they are there to support you. If however, you do feel you are not being listened to, don’t give up, seek alternative support from your doctor (GP), named nurse, counsellor, help lines, friend, teacher or college tutor or a family member. It’s your right to be listened to and supported.
Most of us feel overwhelmed or like we can’t cope with things at least once in our lives, and most people feel like that a lot more frequently. It is at times like that, that you need to be able to talk to someone and not be afraid to ask for help.
Helpful links:
Youth information service - are a charity that provides free and confidential counselling for young people aged 11-21 who live, learn or work in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas.
Youth access is a national organisation for young people's information, advice, counselling and support services. Great website with services near you. MK area: 01908 604 700
Young minds is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.
BECOME The Charity for Children In Care and Young Care Leavers. ‘Building young people's emotional wellbeing, resilience and self-worth to help them live powerfully and purposefully. Care Advice Line- Confidential service that children in care and young care leavers can call for free, offering down to earth information and advice’.
Mental Health and Wellbeing - Provides links to a range of advice and support services.
Sexual Health
Sexual health - Provides links to a range of advice and support services about relationships and sexual health.
Drug and Alcohol advice
Talk to Frank is a confidential information service relating to all things connected with drugs and addiction. Advice, support, guidance all available.
Drink aware offers advice, guidelines and more on questions and issues with alcohol
Change Grow Live (CGL) is a social care and health charity working with individuals, families and communities across England and Wales that are affected by drugs, alcohol, crime, homelessness, domestic abuse and antisocial behaviour. There is a service in Milton Keynes.
Drugs and alcohol - Provides links to a range of advice and support services about relationships and sexual health.
Stop smoking support
Stop smoking advice - The Milton Keynes Stop Smoking Service offers 12 week quit programmes with trained advisers who can offer as much or as little support as you need and supply Nicotine containing products, like patches and gum, or arrange access to prescribed medications that can help you to quit more easily.
Health and Disability
You can find a lot of information about support available via our SEND Local Offer.
Pregnancy
Here are links to health information about antenatal and post natal care.
For antenatal care
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/antenatal-midwife-care-pregnant/
Mental health and pregnancy
https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/mental-health-and-pregnancy/
Post natal care
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/you-and-your-baby-postnatal-period/