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Health and wellbeing

Our Leaving Care Team and your personal adviser will support you to stay healthy and look after your physical and mental health.

We can give you information about:

  • healthy living

  • counselling services

We will support you to:

  • register with a GP

  • move from CAMHS to adult services

  • access free prescriptions

  • get help with transport costs for health appointments

Any costs relating to your health such as prescriptions and transport to appointments you can discuss with your personal adviser.

Your health needs

After your last health assessment and before you leave care, we will give you a letter with a summary of your health needs. This will include:

  • recent health issues

  • immunisations you have had

  • contact details for other services you might need

This might be from your looked after children nurse, school nurse or health visitor. You will get two copies, one for you and one to give to your personal adviser, if you want to. We will also send a copy to your doctor.

If you live in East Lancashire (Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale) or Central Lancashire (Preston, Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancs) you can get support from the looked after children nurse up to the age of 24. Speak to your personal adviser about this.

Free prescriptions

If you need to pay for prescriptions, we will cover the costs.

This may be done by:

  • reimbursing you for one off prescription fees

  • paying for your prescription prepayment certificate if you are on repeat prescriptions

The government has introduced free prescriptions for care leavers nationally. This scheme is not yet available everywhere. If your prescription costs are not covered by the national scheme, we will continue to cover them.

Speak to your personal advisor to access this support.

Dental care

See the dental care page for how to find and register with an NHS dentist or get emergency treatment if you are not registered.

Speak to your personal adviser if you need more support.

Wellbeing Hub mental wellbeing support from Vita Health Group

If you're aged 18 to 25 your personal adviser can refer you to the Wellbeing Hub for counselling services and other support.

The Wellbeing Hub is Lancashire County Council's employee assistance programme (EAP). You can use this service even if you do not work for the council.

If you would like the support of a counsellor, your first therapy session will be a telephone counselling assessment. The counsellor may then recommend and arrange a course of weekly counselling to help you overcome a more troubling issue.

The Wellbeing Hub offers:

  • 24-hour helpline and online chat

  • counselling sessions

  • wellbeing advice like nutrition, exercise, stress

  • gambling and substance addiction support

Ask your personal advisor for the access code to find out more on the Wellbeing Hub (my eap) website or Vita Care app.

The Mix mental health support

You can access information and support for your mental health from The Mix. The Mix is a national charity providing short-term mental health support to young people aged 13 to 25. They have loads of helpful information on their website. They facilitate virtual peer support and community groups and you can contact them 24/7 for urgent support.

Exercise

Some leisure centres offer free and subsidised memberships for care leavers aged 16-25. Contact your personal adviser for more details.

More information and advice

Sex and relationships - advice and support, including contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Drink and drugs - advice and support for alcohol and drug issues.

Health and fitness - advice and services to reduce your risk of illness by being active and eating well.

Mental health - resources that support you to improve your mental health and wellbeing and find local or national support.

Other organisations that provide information and advice:

  • ChatHealth - a confidential texting service for young people aged 11-19 giving advice and support with physical and emotional health. If you have a question, text 07507 330 509.

  • NHS - find a GP, find an NHS dentist, or find information about help with health costs from the The NHS Business Services Authority.

  • YoungMinds - information about some common feelings and mental health symptoms, how to cope, and where to go to get help.

Dental care for care leavers

It is important to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Even if you don’t think there is anything wrong with your teeth it is important to see your dentist every six to twelve months for a check-up.

How to register with a dentist

Phone the receptionist and ask if you can register. Don’t worry if they tell you they are not able to accept new patients, just choose another dentist.

Just like when you register with the GP, you will probably need to go to the dentist and complete a registration form. You do not need to provide ID but this may help with registration. If you do not have any ask your personal adviser for support with this as they will be able to provide this to your dentist.

Emergency dental treatment

If you are not registered with a dentist and need emergency dental treatment, you can contact 0333 332 3800. Please be aware that an appointment offered could be out of the area you are living.

Paying for treatment

You may have to pay for your dental treatment however it is free if you are:

  • under 18 or under 19 and in full-time education

  • pregnant or if you have had a baby in the 12 months before you have treatment

  • claiming some benefits (check with the receptionist beforehand)

Make sure you ask the receptionist before you have a check-up or treatment whether you will need to pay and how much it will cost.

If you have any dental costs from recent treatment at the dentist please speak to your personal adviser as soon as possible.

Advice and support

  • East Lancashire 01254 283399

  • Central Lancashire 01772 777220

  • Morecambe Bay 0300 1234 010