Learning Disability
Getting Your Health Checked Easy Read Newsletter
We put hard words in purple . We explain the hard words. Sometimes you will see blue web links and emails to find out more. You can click these on your computer. Or if you have a paper copy you can type them into a computer to go to the website.
In this newsletter we talk about using your local health services. But it is important for you to keep using health services when you need them.
Getting your health checked out
If you are feeling poorly, or something has changed or hurts in your body, make sure you get yourself checked by a health professional.
This will help you get the care you need.
There are lots of ways to get help.
You can contact your doctors practice (GP) to get an appointment.
Check how you can do this with your doctors Practice.
Your appointment may be on the phone, call or in person.
You can go to your local pharmacy (chemist) for advice.
Pharmacists can help with some health problems that might be sorted out without needing to see a doctor.
They can help with illnesses such as coughs, headaches and hay fever.
You do not need an appointment to go to the pharmacy.
You can go at any time that they are open.
Read an easy read leaflet about using your pharmacy.
https://tinyurl.com/UsingYourPharmacy
You might still need to see your doctor.
You can ring NHS 111
NHS 111 will help you and they may be able to book an appointment for you to see a doctor.
You can ring at any time day or night. You can ask someone to help you call.
Watch a video about phoning 111 https://tinyurl.com/NHSVideo111
You can go to 111 online
You will need to write in the answers to the questions to get the help you need.
https://tinyurl.com/NHS-111-online. The website is not in easy read and you might need someone to help you answer the questions.
You can go to an NHS walk in centre
A walk in centre is somewhere you can see a doctor or a nurse without an appointment.
You might have to wait to see a doctor or nurse.
You can find your closest walk in centre on this website (this is not in easy read)
https://tinyurl.com/Find-Walk-in-centre
In an emergency you should phone 999
Getting help with your thoughts and feelings
If you are having problems with your thoughts and
feelings, please make sure you get help.
Everyone has feelings. Sometimes they may be
difficult. You may feel sad, angry, confused or worried.
When we have these thoughts and feelings a lot it can be a mental health issue and it is important to talk to someone you trust.
You can read more about things that can help with
difficult feelings in this easy read newsletter on page 5
https://tinyurl.com/ERNewsletterMentalHealth
If the way you are feeling is making you ill, it is a good
idea to talk to your doctor (GP). If you are very ill with
difficult feelings you can get some help on a mental
health phoneline.
You can find your local mental health phoneline on
this webpage https://tinyurl.com/MentalHealthphoneline
It is not an easy read website. You need to put your postcode in.
A postcode is numbers and letters that can tell people where you live.
You might want to ask someone to help you with it.
Being careful because of coronavirus
Things might be a bit different because of coronavirus.
Health staff will be wearing face masks.
Health staff may want to help you by talking to you on the telephone or on a video call.
If you need more help you can ask for an appointment in person.
If you have any signs of coronavirus do not go to any
health appointments in person.
If you need help phone 111 or your doctor (GP).
You will need to stay at home isolate ) if you are feeling very unwell.
If you are not able to breathe or need emergency care ring 999.
Read an easy read newsletter about coronavirus
https://tinyurl.com/ERNewsletterCoronaVirus
Getting help for your appointments
When you speak to health staff you can tell them you
have a learning disability or are autistic and that you need some help.
When someone makes changes so health services
work better for you we call this a reasonable adjustment .
Some examples of reasonable adjustments are:
Having two appointments together. This is called a double appointment. It will give you more time to explain how you feel and ask questions.
Seeing a doctor or nurse you already know.
Getting information in a way you can understand, for example in easy read, large print and in another language.
Waiting in a quiet space.
You can ask for your name to be called out if you cannot see the screen.
When you have an appointment, you can ask if you can have someone with you. This is a reasonable adjustment even in the coronavirus pandemic.
Staff at your doctors can write the support you need on their computer system to remind them of what you need when you have other appointments.
Ask them to add this to your online records and get this updated if things change. This is called a summary care record.
Watch this video to find out how this might help you
Here is a video that tells you more about reasonable adjustments. https://tinyurl.com/VideoReasonableAdjustments
Annual Health Checks for people with a learning disability
Every year you will be invited to have an Annual Health Check by your doctor (GP), if they know you have a learning disability and you are 14 years old or older.
It is important to go to your Annual Health Check as it will help keep you healthy and stop any problems you have getting worse.
In your Annual Health Check, you will talk about:
how you are feeling
the medicines you might be taking to see if they are still helping you
things you could do to keep you healthy and well, such as taking regular exercise
They can make a plan for your health
This is called a health action plan.
You can ask for this to be written down for you to keep as a reminder. If you have a learning disability and have not been invited for an Annual Health Check talk to your doctors practice about this.
You can ask to be added to a list of people with a learning disability at your doctors practice. This is called the learning disability register. Find out more about Annual Health Checks in this easy read leaflet
https://tinyurl.com/AnnualHealthChecksER