East Sussex health and social care staff and volunteers have been learning about the range of advice and support available for local people this winter, like help to stay warm at home.
Over 260 people attended a series of five events to make sure they have the latest information on what services and support are available to local people over the colder months, and beyond. This will help staff and volunteers give information and advice to people who need it. Continue reading
Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if someone has a long-term physical or mental condition or disability.
If you have reached State Pension age and need help with personal care, and support, it could also be spent on other types of help in the home, or on equipment to help you stay independent. For example, towards bills, getting meals delivered, or to cover the cost of taxis.
Attendance Allowance can be received if someone has reached State Pension age and the following apply:
You can apply for Attendance Allowance online or by post. For more information and how to claim, visit Attendance Allowance: Overview – GOV.UK or call the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122
The NHS and partners across Sussex have launched a call on the public as demand on health services increase throughout the winter months.
Patient safety remains our top priority, and we are doing all we can to care for people both in hospital and in the community.
While we are working very hard to help people, we cannot do this alone. We are asking everyone living across Sussex to Help Us Help You by:
For more information you can visit the NHS Sussex website: Sussex Health & Care and NHS Sussex
A new campaign has launched in Sussex to encourage people to look after their mental wellbeing over the winter months and seek support when needed.
The ‘How Are You Really Feeling?’ campaign, which runs from Tuesday 10 December 2024 to Sunday 12 January 2025, is designed to raise awareness of the range of services and resources available in Sussex to support people with their mental wellbeing over the Christmas and new year period. It also aims to make mental health a positive part of everyday conversation by encouraging everyone to regularly check-in with themselves and those around them. Continue reading
An innovative new musculoskeletal (MSK) service is set to start for local people this month.
Many people live with musculoskeletal conditions, which can affect your joints, bones and muscles, and sometimes associated tissues such as your nerves. They can range from minor injuries to long-term conditions.
The new service will see a fully integrated MSK pathway across primary, community and secondary care for orthopaedics, pain and rheumatology, and include services such as physiotherapy, diagnostics, and surgical treatment. It will focus on improving access, experience, and outcomes for local people. Service providers will work together to make sure people receive a consistent experience, feel supported throughout the whole pathway, and get the best treatment first time.
Many GPs and pharmacies close over the Christmas and New Year bank holidays, so make sure you’ve ordered your repeat prescriptions in plenty of time to avoid running out of your medication.
You can order your repeat prescription through the NHS App or your GP’s online service if they have one. If you don’t have access to these, you can simply order through your GP practice, or your local pharmacy if your GP has set this up.
Avoid unnecessary festive stress by planning ahead and making sure your medicine cabinet is stocked up.
The colder winter months can bring some added challenges when it comes to staying well, particularly for older people, children, pregnant people, those with long-term health conditions and people struggling to stay warm at home. The good news is there are lots of things we can all do to help to protect our own health and wellbeing and protect those around us.
Here you can find a range of tips and advice for staying warm, well and safe over winter, including where to get support if you need it. Continue reading
Living with excess weight increases the risk of developing diseases and reduces life expectancy, but what does the term ‘healthy weight’ mean to you? And how easy is it to achieve?
We’d like to hear your views about what makes it easier or harder to be a healthy weight in East Sussex.
You can share your feedback by completing a short survey and scoring local places on an interactive map. The survey should take around 15 minutes to complete.
The survey explores things like:
We’re particularly keen to hear from people who support others to be more physically active, and from people who want to do more but currently do very little activity.
Your insights will inform the Healthy Weight Partnership’s Healthy Weight Plan for East Sussex. The plan is to support more people to achieve a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet and meet physical activity guidelines.
People who struggle to keep their homes warm can get support and advice through East Sussex County Council’s Warm Home Check service.
With over 30,000 households in East Sussex living in fuel poverty, the free service offers telephone advice for anyone struggling to afford to keep warm at home, as well as money-saving advice and tips on how to stay warm for less.
Eligible households can also receive a home energy efficiency assessment which includes advice on how to reduce energy costs, for example by switching suppliers, and details of the financial support available to help with heating costs. Continue reading
This winter we’re urging older people who are struggling with their emotional wellbeing not to brush it under the carpet, and instead to talk to someone you trust.
We know that many older people struggle alone with their emotional wellbeing. If you are feeling anxious, sad, lonely, helpless, depressed, or you are grieving, help is out there. The first step to feeling better is to talk to someone. It could be a loved one, a friend, a health professional or a neighbour.
People want to help and you’re not alone if you’re struggling. Here are some of the things you can do to help improve how you are feeling:
• Talk to someone – tell someone you trust how you’re feeling or contact your GP surgery
• Text the word SUSSEX to 85258
• Call the Silver Line Helpline for free on 0800 4 70 80 90
Find out more on the Don’t brush it under the carpet webpage.