Your health and wellbeing

Being healthy doesn’t just mean eating fruit, exercising regularly, and keeping your teeth clean. It also means feeling strong and well emotionally and being sexually healthy and safe. 

Your Pathway Advisor (PA) can offer you support to achieve and maintain positive health and wellbeing and we recognise that this is different for everyone. We will support you to recognise your own health needs and signpost you to services to meet these needs.

We also recognise that it can be very difficult leaving care and living independently and that this can often be lonely and isolating. Whilst we recognise this can be great and you have your own space and independence, you also tell us it can have a negative impact on how you feel and cope on a day-to-day basis.

If you need emergency help with your health

If it’s a health emergency don’t wait. For emergency treatment you will need to go to your local accident and emergency department or ring 999 and ask for an ambulance. 

For non-emergencies you can call the NHS 111 service for advice and signposting.

Get a health passport

A health passport collects all your important health information in one place. You will get a copy sent to you when you turn 18. It includes details of all the major events in your life that relate to your physical and mental health, as well as other important information about you, such as:

• any NHS records
• health assessments that were undertaken during your time in care
• who your current GP is.

Talk to your PA if you haven’t received your health passport or you have lost it. 

Register with a GP, dentist and optician

We will support you to register with health services such as a GP and a dentist if you are not already registered or if you move. It’s important you are registered, know how to get in touch and know how to get there. We can support you to attend health appointments or plan how to get there if you need to help with that too. We might also be able to help you with transport costs to medical appointments, speak to your PA about this.

Support with accessing a dentist

Once you have registered with a dentist, you should visit regularly for a check-up. Your dentist will let you know how often you need to go. If you are under 18 or under 19 and in full time education or training, you can qualify for free NHS dental treatment. If you are entitled to free NHS dental care, you should be able to claim back the cost of any treatment by keeping all receipts. 

You would also be eligible for free dental services provided by the NHS for the period in which you are pregnant and the twelve-month period after you give birth.

You can receive free dental care if you are receiving low-income benefits. Your local NHS dentist will be able to help you understand what you are entitled to.

If your teeth, mouth or gums are causing pain or discomfort you can access unscheduled or emergency dental care by calling:

North Cumbria: 01228 603900
South Cumbria: 0300 1234010 

Mental health and support with your emotional wellbeing

You have told us that mental health is one of the things you worry about, and it is one of the things where you want support from your PA and others. 

Your PA can offer you emotional support to talk through any feelings and problems you have. They can support you with strategies to help you cope. If you need more specialist support your PA can refer you to access adult mental/emotional health services. 

If you are struggling with anything and feel you can't speak to your PA contact ChildLine who offer 24 hour support on 0800 1111 or the Samaritans who offer 24 hour support by calling 116 123 for free or go to samaritians.org to access their chat box.

Evidence suggests a small improvement in wellbeing can help to lower some mental health problems so speak with your PA about how you can be supported to make these changes. There are five actions recommended to improve personal wellbeing:

• connect with others
• be active and get out and about
• take notice of the small things
• keep learning, new things, different things or more of something you enjoy
• give something such as time, volunteering, being part of something that makes a difference or helps you connect

Websites that can help you manage your mental health

Kooth is a great online service which has loads of useful resources for you to access such as creating a ‘good mood’ play list through to making an emotions box to help you to self sooth. Accessing Kooth is one of the things you can do by yourself or as part of your support time with your PA.  It’s free and has some great self-care ideas, advice and guidance. 

Kooth website

Every Mind Matters is a great online resource giving access to more tools to help support you with ideas to help lift your mood or ease your anxiety – we need to find what works for us, so there are lots of different options. 

Every Mind Matters website

Sexual health

If you are concerned about your sexual health then you can make an appointment to access your nearest Sexual Health Service. If you access a service, this will be treated in confidence.

Treatment and advice on sexual health across Cumbria is provided in a variety of places. These include:

• Sexual Health Clinics (combined GUM and Contraceptive Services)
• GP Surgeries
• Community Pharmacies
• through Inspira

All these services are completely confidential and can be accessed through your doctor or GP. Visit North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust for more information.

If you need help and support with sexual health and family planning issues you will be signposted by your PA to the right local services for you that can offer you additional support and advice.