Health services

This page offers links to a range of health services and information. There is information on going into hospital, treatment advice and NHS charges. Also there is information on mental wellbeing, which will help you to feel positive about yourself and any support you are receiving. 

Under Health Services

NHS Choices
This website offers a comprehensive information service to help people find reliable information about medical treatments, conditions and healthy living. This includes a complete guide to NHS and other health care services alongside comparative data about hospitals.

NHS Life Check
This is an online health service helping people to assess and better manage their health.

NHS North East Essex
This provides treatment for routine injuries and illnesses from a range of healthcare professionals, including GPs, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and opticians. You can also gain access to preventative care, such as services to stop smoking or to encourage exercise and healthy eating.

Change 4 Life  
This campaign was launched by the Government on 2 January 2009 and offers advice and information relating to diet and lifestyle.  Postcode searches are available to find local services such as cookery clubs, after school activities and sporting abilities.

Health treatment and advice

NHS Number
Everyone who is registered with the NHS has their own unique ten-digit number which helps healthcare staff to find your health records quickly. NHS Staff will begin to ask for this number more often, which you can ask your GP surgery for.

NHS direct online
Here you can find information and advice about the most common illnesses, and a range of treatments for them
If you want to find your local health service provider, click on the online service links on this page or call NHS direct on 0845 4647.
NHS Direct is a 24-hour phone line, staffed by nurses, which offers quick access to health care advice.

Dental care for disabled people
If you are disabled it may be hard to visit a dental surgery. There are options available to ensure that you have full access to dental care and treatment. This page gives information on home visits and referral to a health centre or clinic.

Moving into adulthood
If you are a disabled teenager, Directgov offer advice on your transition to adult services and provide information on the choices you have to make on health issues and independent living.

NHS Choices
If you living with a long term health condition, you can find out here about support available to you.

Patient Opinion
On this site you can post your experience of any NHS service to help keep others informed, and help improve the running of such services.

The Outside Clinic
They provide a mobile opticians service run by Lloyds Pharmacy. This service is for people who have a mobility or medical problem. They offer private eye examinations and free eye examinations to those who are eligible.

The Get Your Life Back scheme
This enables GPs to recommend a high quality self-help book to those experiencing emotional or psychological problems.
Books on the scheme are available from your local library and are carefully chosen by medical professionals. A doctor can suggest an appropriate book or you can make your own choice by visiting your local library.

Understanding your medicines  
This page contains advice and questions to ask when being prescribed medication.

Virtual Hospital
The Royal College of Radiologists has developed a 'virtual hospital' to explain what the equipment does and to share other patients' experiences. There are two virtual departments to view: Radiology and Oncology.

What Happens at your health check
This is an easy read guide telling you about what happens when you attend a health check at your doctors.

Toe Nail Cutting in the Community (TONIC)
This is a toe nail cutting service provided by Basildon District Volunteer Carers for those people who are unable to cut their own toe nails. Trained volunteers carry out the toe nail cutting at a small fee of £11. This service is provided to those who live in the Basildon borough.

Mental health

Around 1 in 7 of the adult population is likely to suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives. There are lots of organisations that can offer support and advice on mental health conditions. They can also help you access local services. 

Counselling directory
This website allows you to search for a counsellor or psychotherapist near you. Also on the website are useful articles and information on how counselling can help with different kinds off distress.

Mental Health Foundation
They are a leading UK charity that provides information, carries out research, campaigns and works to improve services for anyone affected by mental health problems, whatever their age and wherever they live.

Shift and Rethink
These two websites offer advice and information if you have experienced stigma or discrimination because of your mental health.

Find a GP
Here you can find a local GP. When facing difficult times, it helps to talk though our problems with family and friends. If you feel it would be more appropriate to talk to an independent person, speak to your  GP about counselling services available in your area.

The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
This organisation can help you find a counsellor that is qualified and experienced. It holds a list of its members and their qualifications.

Cruse
This organisation can help you find out about support available to you, if you have experienced a bereavement.

Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
They work to promote the rights, quality of life and opportunities of people with learning disabilities and their families.

Feel Better With a Book  
This consists of a number of read aloud groups, in which stories and poems are read out by trained facilitator. The aim is to help boost confidence, self-esteem and combat isolation.

Open Arts
South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust run a community based arts project called Open Arts, which offers arts courses for adults who identify as having a mental health need. The courses last for 12 weeks and offer taster sessions in a variety of arts techniques, and the aim is to increase participants: confidence, self esteem and social network, and in turn encourage people to move on in their lives and their participation in socially inclusive activities and vocational pathways. The project has been running for just over 2 years and has proved to be increasingly successful. In additional to the standard 12 week course, Accreditation at Levels 2 and 3 are available to participants and volunteers, as well as more specialised arts courses.

More information on Art and Health can be found below:
Open Arts Blog
Arts and Health East

Young minds
They have worked for over twenty years helping children and young people with mental health difficulties, and their parents.

Stroke Information

The Stroke Association
They are the only UK wide charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages. They fund research into prevention, treatment and better methods of rehabilitation, and help stroke patients and their families directly with their Life After Stroke Services.

East of England Life After Stroke Services
This page provide links to details of local services and where to look for support and information in the East of England.

NHS charges

Most NHS treatment is free but there are charges for some services. Depending on your age or personal circumstances, you may be entitled to get help with the cost of sight tests, prescriptions, dental treatments and certain other services.
NHS guide to free treatment
Age UK guide to help with health costs

Transport

The Broomfield Hopper
Broomfield hospital now runs a free minibus service to help patients and visitors travel around the hospital site.

Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme
If you are on a low income, need NHS treatment and have been referred by a NHS hospital consultant, doctor or dentist, you may be able to get help from The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.

Going into hospital

Directgov advice on hospital stays and benefits
If you are going to have a planned admission to hospital, check with the hospital what you should bring with you. If you claim benefits, get can advice before your stay, as some benefits can be lost or reduced when you go into hospital.

Age UK advice on hospital discharge arrangements
A consultant or other healthcare professional will decide when you are well enough to leave hospital and they will involve you in planning for your discharge. Most people will return home, possibly with some ongoing care. However, if your care needs are more complex your discharge will need more planning and may involve a number of healthcare professionals.

Living will
This page from Directgov  provides information on how to make a living will. Every adult with mental capacity has the right to agree to or refuse medical treatment. To make your advance wishes clear you can use a living will. Living wills can include general statements about your wishes, which aren't legally binding, and specific refusals of treatment called 'advanced decisions' or 'advance directives.' 

End of life care
Here you can find out what end of life care is, how to manage the time you have left, pain relief, coping financially and your rights and choices.