Bereavement

Online

For general advice about bereavement you might find the NHS choices article on bereavement useful.

If you are looking for advice about dealing with the practical aspects (such as legal issues) of someone dying then try the Bereavement Advice Centre.

The Leeds Bereavement Forum collates allot of information on the services available in Leeds.

In person

There are also several organisations and charities that provide specialist advice and support to those that have been bereaved:

Carers

Non-urgent advice: Who is a carer

A carer is a person of any age (including children) who provides unpaid support to a partner, relative, friend or neighbour who couldn’t get by without their help. This could be due to old age, frailty, disability, a serious health condition, mental ill health or substance misuse. Parents of children who are disabled or who have a serious health condition are also considered to be carers.

What we offer carers

  • Flu vaccination – most carers are eligible for a free flu vaccination to protect themselves and the person they care for
  • Regular health check appointments to help you keep fit and well
  • More flexible appointments
  • Referrals to carers’ services for more specialised information, advice and support

Dedicated Carer Service

Being a Carer can be hard work and there are excellent local services to help.

A good place to start is Carers Leeds

Carers Leeds

Child Health

Non-urgent advice: Health Visitors

In Leeds the name of the Health Visiting team has changed to 0 to 19 Public Health Integrated Nursing

0 to 19 Public Health Integrated Nursing

The 0 to 19 Public Health Integrated Nursing Team are all trained nurses who have extra training and qualifications in child health. They are a fantastic source of information about child development, parenting strategies, breastfeeding, bed wetting, bullying, emotional health, nutrition and child safety.

0 to 19 Public Health Integrated Nursing

Non-urgent advice: Childhood Immunisations

Immunisations are given by our practice nurses in accordance with the NHS vaccine schedule.

Further information on the schedule and vaccines in general can be found on NHS choices vaccinations.

Maternity Services

Non-urgent advice: Making an appointment with the Midwife

If you are pregnant you do not need to see the Dr in order to have your first appointment with the midwife.

You can arrange a booking appointment via the reception desk. This first appointment should be at about 9 weeks of pregnancy.

Due date calculator

Non-urgent advice: Maternity care

The Midwife will help you to prepare for motherhood and promote good health for yourself and your baby by advising on the effects of drinking, smoking and good diet whilst you are pregnant.

The midwife guides you through your pregnancy and endeavours to detect any problems and make relevant referrals if necessary.

The Midwife will discuss your options for delivery, arrange appropriate referrals and provide you with dietary advice.

She will also take blood tests and will subsequently discuss the results with you.

Whilst you are pregnant and until your baby is one year old you are entitled to free prescriptions and dental treatment. The Midwife will organise for an exemption certificate to be signed and sent off.

During The Pregnancy

Your maternity book lists when you will be seen by the Midwife, Doctor and hospital through your pregnancy. Should you have any concerns at any other time you can contact your midwife or, if she is not available, make an appointment to see a Doctor during normal surgery hours.

At some point during the course of your pregnancy the Health Visitor will meet you to talk to you about her role in your care and about the childhood vaccination programme.

After Your Birth

After delivery your Midwife will visit you at home to help you and your baby. Following the birth she will visit you on your first day at home. When your baby is five days old she will carry out the Guthrie test (which is a special screening test that the Midwife will give you information about) and at ten days old she will discharge yourself and your baby from her care. Extra visits may be arranged according to need.

Your Health Visitor will visit you at home when your baby is between 10 and 14 days old and can advise on feeding, weaning and any family issues you may have.

About 6 weeks after your birth you should make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss contraception and any concerns you have about your own health.

Non-urgent advice: Breast Feeding

It takes time for you and your baby to learn how to breastfeed.

The NHS Choices page on breast feeding might be useful.

Your midwife can also offer support and advice.

There are also a number of national services offering local support groups, which can be accessed via their websites:

Babycafe

Association of Breast Feeding Mothers

La Leche League GB

Breastfeeding Network

Advocacy Services

Advocacy means helping another person to communicate their views and wishes.

 

GPs often act as advocates for patients when dealing with issues in hospital or by making sure that their patients’ and/or families’ voices are heard when a decision is needed about their care.

Advocacy involves looking at choices together and helping patients to make decisions. It may be writing a letter of support or communicating on behalf of the patient.

When advocates who are not part of social services or the NHS are needed, they can be found in Leeds at:

Social Prescribing Service

The term ‘social prescribing’ is used to describe a service which supports people to access a range of non-medical services and activities in their local area.

The service can help you:

  • Get support to improve your physical health.
  • Find employment or volunteering opportunities or learn a new skill.
  • Tackle money, housing, work or benefits issues.
  • Cope with a particular condition or difficulty.
  • Access ways of improving your emotional wellbeing such as befriending schemes, peer support or arts and leisure activities.

Social Prescribing Explained

You can refer yourself to the Linking Leeds social prescribing service without seeing the Dr.

Linking Leeds

Stop Smoking Service

Non-urgent advice: Giving up smoking is always beneficial for your health

Stopping smoking increases your life expectancy and helps improve your quality of life, not to mention making you wealthier as well!

Getting NHS support really works – it can be four times more successful than going it alone (cold turkey) and it’s completely free of charge.

Be Smoke Free

This is the service we recommend to our patients and is free to everyone. You can refer yourself without having to see a doctor.

If they recommend medication or patches to help you stop then we will prescribe them for you (according to your agreed treatment plan).

Be Free Service

Mental Health Services

Services for adults

Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service

This the service we use most often when helping people with common mental health problems, such as stress, panic attacks, depression, post-natal depression and anxiety.

You can refer yourself to the service without seeing a Dr first.

Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service

MindWell

Is designed to help you understand the common problems that people face and the range of services here to help. It also offers help to those who are worried about others.

For ages 17 and over

Services for children

MindMate

MindMate is a website specifically aimed at young people and can help you understand the way you are feeling and find the right advice and support. It also offers advice for parents.

You can also call the MindMate SPA and they can help you refer yourself to the most appropriate service without seeing a Dr at the practice

For people aged 16 and under.

MindMate

Non-urgent advice: Feeling Suicidal

If we are open, then please call now to book an urgent same day appointment with one of our doctors.

If we are not open, or you would prefer to get help elsewhere, then please click one of the links below:

I am 17 and older and need help now

I am 16 or younger and need urgent help

Weight Management

There are a number of online resources and local clinics that you can refer yourself to without seeing the Dr.

Not sure if you need to loose weight then try out this weight calculating tool.

Manage Your Weight

For a range of advice and services to help you loose weight see the Better Health website

Manage Your Weight

There are also private services (that you would need to pay for) such as Weight Watchers and Slimming World who both provide popular classes locally.

NHS Health check

The NHS health check is a free health check-up for adults in England aged 40-74.

You can find more information at the NHS health check.

It aims to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia, because as we get older our risk of developing one of these conditions increases.

If you would like to book an NHS health check please contact reception to make an appointment.

The health check only takes about 30 minutes.

The nurse / health professional will ask you some simple questions about your lifestyle and family history, measure your height and weight, take your blood pressure and do a blood test.  From this they can give you an idea of your risks.  If you are over 65, you will also be told the signs and symptoms of dementia to look out for.

You will then receive personalised advice to help lower your risk. This could include:

  • How to improve your diet and the amount of physical activity you do
  • How to lose weight or stop smoking

If a particular problem is found, such has high blood pressure, then we will make an appointment for you to see a doctor.