Health

We all know staying healthy is important - but how can you do it?

Keeping fit
Everyone knows keeping fit and healthy is good for you – but why is that?

  • It helps you sleep better
  • It reduces your stress levels
  • It makes you physically and mentally stronger
  • It gives you more energy
  • It improves your coordination and balance
  • It makes your heart healthier
  • It increases self confidence

There are some easy ways to get exercise, without even knowing you’re doing it!

  • Walk to school if you can
  • Always take the stairs if you can
  • Get moving at lunchtime – move your arms or legs, play football, walk around the house or school
  • Make your bed every morning
  • Help out around the house – take the bins out or hoover

The Health for Teens resource has lots of good information about keeping fit to help you. 

Eating healthy
If you eat a balanced, healthy diet you are more likely to feel good. Did you know there are certain things in food called nutrients that can help you feel less tired or sad? There is also a chemical that your brain make when given the right food called serotonin, which can make you feel happy!

The Health for Teens resource also has lots of good information about food and drink to help you.

Mental health issues can affect anyone. People of all ages, abilities and life stages experience feelings, thoughts and emotions that cause distress, upset or concern. 

The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone. Whatever you are feeling, there are others who are just like you and there's always someone who wants to listen.

If you are in immediate danger and need to speak to someone urgently, call Samaritans on 116 123 for free.

City residents, including those aged under 16 years old, can access a range of free local services to support their sexual and reproductive health.

These include STI testing and treatment, a range of contraceptives – including condoms, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), support for adults, children and young people and families affected by HIV, and much more. Services can be accessed from different locations, including sexual health clinics, online, through pharmacies, and elsewhere.

Visit the City of London website for more information.

Transferring from health services for children and young people, to health services for adults can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be.

Young people with complex health needs, requiring continuing health care when they turn 18, will transfer to adult health or adult mental health services.

Planning for this transfer will usually begin at the time of the Year 9 review. Your health professional will work with you to develop a transition plan, which identifies who will take the lead in coordinating care and referral to other services.

Our goal is to ensure continuity of treatment and management of a young person’s health needs when they are moved from paediatric care.

Struggling to keep yourself away from the biscuit tin?

Here are three top tips to help you eat well:

1) Unleash the power of fruit and veg
From apples and oranges to cucumber and carrots, swap that packet of crisps for some delicious, juicy fruit and vegetables.

2) Nothing beats water
Feeling thirsty? A cool and refreshing glass of water can quench your thirst like no other drink.

3) Energise your day with breakfast
Did you know eating apples not only keeps the doctor away but wakes you up better than a latte?

*Reproduced with permission from City Youth Forum. Follow the forum on Instagram (@cityyouthforum) to keep up to date with advice and activities.

Feeling downbeat, anxious or depressed?

Here are three top tips to help you stay positive.

1) Sleep well to feel well
From doing homework to watching TV, it can be difficult to get enough sleep. A good night's sleep will leave you feeling refreshed for the day ahead, so why not give it a try?

2) Keep connected
While we all love the holidays, they can sometimes feel a little lonely, so make sure to plan some fun days out with your friends.

3) Party in your bedroom
Play your favourite upbeat, feel-good songs and start partying away. Bring on the feel good!

*Reproduced with permission from City Youth Forum. Follow the forum on Instagram (@cityyouthforum) to keep up to date with advice and activities.

Kooth Video for young people -a digital mental health and wellbeing company working to provide a welcoming space for digital mental health care, available to all.

 

Feeling unfit?

Here are three top tips to help you stay active.

1) Get outside
Lockdown left us cooped up inside for most of the day, so make the most of the outdoors and go for a walk, run or cycle.

2) Give yoga a go!
Yoga is a really fun way of keeping fit, reducing stress and easing anxiety. Give it a try!

3) Short and sweet
If a long workout session is not for you, why not spice up your day with some short bursts of exercise?

*Reproduced with permission from City Youth Forum. Follow the forum on Instagram (@cityyouthforum) to keep up to date with advice and activities.

People with a learning disability often have poorer physical and mental health than other people but this does not need to be the case.

Annual health checks are for adults and young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability.

An annual health check helps you stay well by talking about your health and finding out about any health problems early, so you get the right care.

  • This annual health check is to see how healthy you are and if you need any support
  • You do not have to be ill to have a health check
  • Most people have their annual health check when they're feeling well

If you are worried about seeing a doctor, or there's anything they can do to make your visit better, let the doctor or nurse know. They will help make sure it goes well for you.

How will it help?
You'll get to know your GP better, which will help if you ever do get ill. Most health problems are simple to treat once you know about them. Your GP can help stop you getting a serious health condition. This is better than waiting until you're ill. You can ask your GP questions about your health, how you're feeling, your care or any medicines you take.

How do you get an appointment?
Adults and young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability who are on the GP practice learning disability register should be invited by their GP practice to come for an annual health check.

What if my GP doesn’t offer the annual health check?
Most GP surgeries offer annual health checks to people with a learning disability. However, GP surgeries don't have to offer this service. If your GP surgery hasn't offered you an annual health check, you can ask them if they could provide one. If they say no, ask your local community learning disability team for advice. Some of Hackney's Special Schools can arrange for these to take place on site during school hours. Alternatively you can contact:

They should be able to help you book an annual health check.

What happens during the annual health check?
During the health check, the GP or practice nurse will:

  • do a physical check-up, including weight, heart rate, blood pressure and taking blood and urine samples
  • talk to you about staying well and if you need any help with this
  • ask about things that are more common if you have a learning disability, such as epilepsy, constipation or problems with swallowing
  • talk to you about your medicines
  • if you have a health problem such as asthma or diabetes, the GP or nurse will check how it's going
  • check to see if you have any other health appointments, such as physiotherapy or speech therapy
  • ask if family and/or carers are getting the support they need
  • help make sure that things go well when children move to adult services at the age of 18

If your learning disability has a specific cause, the GP or practice nurse will often carry out additional tests if there are any other health risks. For people with Down's syndrome, for example, they may do a test to see if the thyroid gland is working properly. You'll be asked for your consent (permission) to share information with other services that provide your care. This will help you get the right support if you go to a hospital, for example. The GP or practice nurse will also give you health information, such as advice on healthy eating, exercise, contraception or stopping smoking.

Do you have to have an annual health check?
No. All parts of the health check are voluntary. Anyone who's having the health check, or their carer, can ask the GP or practice nurse for more information about the process. The person can then give their consent before any tests or procedures are carried out. Your GP can give you information you need in a way that will help you.

Record Last Updated on: 24/11/2021

For more information, please check the Hackney Local Offer website

Hackney Ark is a centre for children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. Different services are available from the centre including therapies and health support for children aged 0 - 18.

Children and young people attending one of the borough's special schools can still receive support from Hackney Ark services until they are 19 years old.

Hackney Ark's therapy services includes:

Support from Hackney Ark - Therapy Transition will help young people in these services (and their families) to plan and prepare for moving on from children’s therapy services. This is a process called Preparing for Adulthood.

What we do
When children and young people reach the age of 18 they will be leaving Hackney Ark - Children’s Therapy Services.

Some people will be able to get support from specialist adult services and others will be supported by universal services.

Support from adult services will be delivered in different ways to the services provided by children's therapies services: Hackney Ark - Therapy Transition infographics - What will be different?

Planning starts from 14 years old so that the young people have time to get used to making more decisions themselves, with support if needed.

The young person and family will be involved in planning for any of the changes. Good planning leads to good transitions: Hackney Ark - Therapy Transition Plan information.

Young people and their families can find out more about preparing for this change with our Ready, Set, Launch (Template).

Young people and their families may want to use our Moving on plan - Health Passport (template) to help keep health information in one place so it can be taken to appointments and shared with people who work in health support services.

For more information: Hackney Ark | Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Contact:
Tel: 020 7014 7000
Tel: 020 7014 7025 (Physio and OT)
Tel: 020 7014 7089 (SaLT)

Address:
Hackney Ark
Downs Park Road
Hackney
London
E8 2FP 

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