Health professionals often come along to our meetings to share about different services and support available. Here are some resources and websites that you might find useful:
Seasonal vaccinations
See available dates and book you vaccination:
Staying active
Active Together helps people, across Leicestershire, Leicester, and Rutland, to keep fit and active. Learn about how to get started if you want to become more active, how much physical activity we should be doing, and explore local activities
The title for our conference this year was ‘Supporting us with our Health and Wellbeing’, and we hosted 3 workshops that covered:
- Healthy eating
- Activities for wellbeing
- Movement for fitness
We'll add more information and resources on health and wellbeing shortly.
Annual health checks
Who can have an annual health check?
Anyone aged 14 or over who is on their doctor's learning disability register can have a free annual health check once a year.
You can ask to go on this register if you think you have a learning disability.
Check with your doctor's practice if you or the person you care for is on the register.
You can find more information about annual health checks on the NHS website and watch their video explaining what to expect during a health check.
How will an annual health check help?
You'll get to know your doctor better. The doctor will also be able to spot any health problems sooner, so that you get the treatment you need to stay well.
You can ask your doctor questions about your health and tell them how you are feeling.
You can also talk about any treatment you are having or medicine you use.
How do you get an appointment?
Adults and young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability, who are on the doctor's practice learning disability register, should be invited by their doctor to come for an annual health check.
Most doctors offer annual health checks to people with a learning disability, but they don't have to offer this service.
If your doctor's practice hasn't offered you an annual health check, you can ask them if you can have one. If they say no, ask your local community learning disability team to help you get one.
Hospital resources
If you need to go to hospital, it might be useful to fill in and take the forms below with you. It's important that these forms are up to date, and it's good to take a few copies with you. You can keep a copy at home, take one into the Emergency Department, and another copy for the ward, if you get admitted into hospital.
Dentist
The Community Dental Services easy read guides explain about dentist visits, brushing and caring for your teeth.
Medications
Stopping over medication of people with a learning disability and autistic people (STOMP) and supporting treatment and appropriate medication in paediatrics (STAMP) - an NHS Long Term Plan commitment to help people stay well and have a good quality of life through the use, review and optimisation of medication.
Screenings
Macmillan Cancer Support has put together a range of cancer information resources about diagnosis, treatment, and wellbeing.
Weight management
Healthy4Me is a fun and interactive group programme for residents across Leicestershire who have a learning disability. It encourages everyone to think more about what they eat and to try new food and exercise.
Improving care and support for our communities
The Learning from Deaths and Lives Programme (LeDeR) is looking at the lives and deaths of people with a learning disability and autism. It aims to improve care and to help people live longer and healthier lives.
People with a learning disability die on average 20 years younger than most other people. To understand why this is happening, reviews are done, where they look at the health and social care services the person was receiving, they talk to family and carers, and they review care notes. The review helps find out what is working well for our communities, and what could be done better.