We have a page of key information to help refugees from Ukraine access health and care services in the UK.
Find information about how the NHS works, what support refugees are entitled to and contact information for useful organisations.
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Patient transport
The North East Ambulance Service provides pre-planned non-emergency transport for patients who need medical or clinical support to get to and from their appointments.
If you have a long distance to travel for an operation it may be possible to arrange transport to hospital the night before. Please contact PALS on Freephone 0800 0320202 if you require support to arrange this.
Think pharmacy first
Did you know? Pharmacists across the North East and North Cumbria can offer advice and FREE treatment for a wide range of common conditions, just like having a prescription from your GP. These conditions are: UTI’s (non pregnant women 16-64 years), Shingles 18 years+, Impetigo 1 year+, Sore throat 5 years+, Sinusitis 12 years+, Infected insect bites 1 year+, Earache 1 to 17 years.
Find out more at thinkpharmacyfirst.health.
What’s up with my gut?
Getting a diagnosis for gut problems is not always simple. The ‘What’s up with my gut?’ website makes it easy to understand the pathway to finding a diagnosis for gut problems. The website is suitable for people experiencing gut problems, parents of children experiencing symptoms and also professionals.
NECA gambling support
NECA Gambling Support Services provide free, confidential advice and support for individuals affected by gambling related harms in the North East. Support is tailored to the individual’s needs throughout their recovery journey, with opportunities for one to one and group support. Appointments are available face to face across a range of locations in the region, virtually and via telephone.
Cholesterol awareness
Did you know high cholesterol can be caused by your diet, lack of exercise, or even your family history? High cholesterol is often a silent killer with no symptoms. Getting a cholesterol test can help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test. If you’re aged over 40 and haven’t had a cholesterol test before – or it’s been more than five years since your last one – please contact your GP surgery to book a quick and simple cholesterol test.
Kidney health checker
Your kidneys are amazing. They are constantly filtering toxins from your blood to keep your organs working. Take this quick test from Kidney Care UK to find out if you are at risk of kidney disease, and to understand more about keeping your kidneys healthy
Knowing your risk can help your doctor diagnose you in the early stages if you do have chronic kidney disease.
CISWO – The coal mining charity
CISWO aims to improve the lives of former mine workers and their families. The team understand the struggles faced by those in former coal mining communities and can help people overcome the barriers they face to lead a better quality life.
The charity offers a confidential home visiting service, emotional support and advocacy, advice on mining related health issues, financial support and help to access mobility equipment. For more information visit the CISWO website or call 01709 728 115.
Transport for hospital visiting
Limited visitor transport is available for relatives to visit loved ones in hospital. A car runs from both Hexham General Hospital and Berwick Infirmary to the Cramlington NSECH, Wansbeck and North Tyneside hospitals.
To book a place from Hexham call the Urgent Care Reception on 01434 655388 or for Berwick call 01289 356664 or 07774 788627. Booking is on a first come first served basis.
Support for Ukrainian refugees
Citizens Advice Northumberland
The Citizens Advice Northumberland service aims to provide the advice people need for the problems they face and improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives. The service provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. You can get advice online, by calling one of the numbers below, or in-person at a location near you.
Helplines available Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm (closed on Bank Holidays)
- Advice Line: 0808 278 7944
- Debt Advice Line: 01670 339960
- Help to Claim Universal Credit: 0800 144 8 444
- Energy Advice: 01670 339749
- Macmillan Service: 01670 641903
- To cancel or rearrange appointments: 01670 339985
Pharmacy First
Pharmacists can now provide treatment for seven common conditions without patients needing to see a GP, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care.
Highly trained pharmacists at over 90% of pharmacies can now assess and treat patients for earache, impetigo, infected insect bites, shingles, sinusitis, sore throat and urinary tract infections (UTIs) for women aged 16-64 – without the need for a GP appointment. No appointment is necessary and private consultations are available. Patients will be signposted to other local services where necessary.
Reasonable adjustments
Did you know you can ask for reasonable adjustments to help you get the most out of healthcare appointments? Reasonable adjustments are small changes that can help people with a disability or health condition with a big or long-term effect on their lives to be treated equally. This could include having a carer present at appointments or being communicated with in a specific way.
If you have a disability or a long-term health condition and would like a reasonable adjustment, ask your healthcare provider for more information.
Help with prescription costs
The cost of living crisis has put many people under financial strain, and prescription costs are more than some can afford. Find out what help is out there to help you cover the cost of your medication.
Patient involvement opportunities
If you would like to get directly involved with service providers, there are a number of opportunities to contribute to the development of local health and care services.
From Patient Participation Groups to online communities, there is something to suit everyone.
BSL Health Navigators
If you use British Sign Language and are using a hospital in Northumberland, Newcastle or North Tyneside, the BSL Health Navigators can support you to get the healthcare you need.
Get in touch with the service by email: bslhealth@deaflink.org.uk or text: 07837 481 107.
Findaway
The Findaway project is for you if you’re worried someone you know is being controlled, scared, or hurt by their partner, ex-partner or a family member.
Findaway can offer you support, information and other tools to effectively help the people you care about. Call the anonymous phoneline: 0300 140 0061 or visit the website.
Making a complaint
How you make a complaint about primary care services in Northumberland is changing on 1 July 2023. After this date if you want to make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner you will contact the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) Integrated Care Board instead of NHS England.
The Blue Book
The 2023-24 Blue Book of Dementia Support and Services gives a summary of support for older people and those living with dementia in Northumberland.
You can view or download The Blue Book below. Please get in touch if you would like a copy in the post.
The Blue Book: Dementia support and activities in Northumberland
Reading for wellbeing
Would you like to meet others who enjoy reading and improve your mental wellbeing? The ‘Reading for Wellbeing’ project was set up by Vera and Shetland author Ann Cleeves. It aims to bring together like-minded people in a safe and welcoming environment to enjoy a good book, make new friends and find a listening ear.
To find a group near you email: read@northumberland.gov.uk or join the ‘Reading for wellbeing Northumberland’ Facebook group.
Guides to staying in hospital
Find out what to expect when getting ready to go to hospital, staying in hospital and leaving hospital with these useful guides from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme
If you’re referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).
999 BSL emergency service
999 BSL is a new service that connects deaf people to British Sign Language Interpreters remotely through an app or a web-based platform, who then will relay the conversation with the call handler and emergency authorities.
There are two ways to reach the emergency services through 999 BSL:
- iOS and Android App (on a smartphone or tablet)
- Web-based (999bsl.co.uk)
Tips on how to reduce loneliness
Loneliness can affect people of all ages. As we get older, we can be presented with many challenges in our lives that can lead to loneliness. A loss of a partner, family, or friends, retirement, illness or moving into different accommodation.
Mental Health Foundation has created these tips to help reduce loneliness in later life.
When is a good time to check in with a young person?
Sometimes, it can feel difficult to know when to check in with a young person about how they are feeling. You might feel like you need to get the timing ‘perfect’ but any time can be a good time. Young Minds suggests some times that might be good to start a conversation. Remember, before checking in with a young person, check in with yourself – are you ready to have this conversation?
More information at the Young Minds website.
Out of hours healthcare
Health issues unfortunately don’t leave us alone at the weekend and people are often in need of medical assistance out of hours. Using NHS guidelines, Healthwatch England has provided some advice and information on where you can go for help when your GP is closed.
Top tips for getting the most out of your GP appointment
One of the main things we hear from the public is getting a GP appointment can be tricky. And when you do get an appointment, the time you get to talk to your doctor can be limited. Healthwatch England has pulled together some top suggestions to help you make the most of your appointment slot.
Acorns domestic abuse support
Acorns offers a range of services to support families affected by domestic abuse in North Tyneside and Northumberland.
If you are worried about an abusive relationship you can text 07712 862 858 or call 0191 349 8366 (Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 6pm or Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm).
Get moving with diabetes
If you or a loved one has diabetes, this handy guide from Diabetes UK can help you get more active.
Find out why it is important to move more when you have diabetes and learn ways to include different types of activity into your daily life. There’s also space to track your progress over a 10-week journey.
Stay safe, warm and well
We’re heading into the colder months, so to help make sure you’re looking after yourself, Royal Voluntary Service has put together this helpful guide to help keep you safe, warm and well. The guide also includes a list of handy contact numbers for organisations that can help you this winter.
We Are Undefeatable
A new campaign has been launched to promote physical activity for people with long term health conditions. Many of the UK’s leading charities including MS Society, Age UK, Mind and the British Lung Foundation have come together to inspire and support people with health conditions to be active. Visit: weareundefeatable.co.uk and find out more.
What to consider when choosing a care home
Choosing a care home and working out how to pay for it can be complex. If you’re considering a move to a care home, make sure you have as much information as possible about what to look for, where to look and how to make the move as easy as possible. Independent Age has some useful information for consideration.
Clubs and support groups for the visually impaired
Vision Northumberland’s clubs and support groups have been set up throughout the county to help combat the social isolation felt by many vision-impaired people as a result of sight loss. Anyone with sight loss can join a club or support group, whether registered or not. Carers, friends and relatives are also welcome to attend.
See what clubs and groups are available on the Vision Northumberland website.
Care home checklist
Finding the right care home for you or your loved one can be a tricky issue. There are some key things that you need to think about before taking the next steps and Age Uk has produced a guide to help you through the process.
Health Trainers
Health trainers offer a friendly and professional free service to anyone over 16 living in Northumberland and North Tyneside. They can help you stay healthy by offering advice and information on eating a balanced diet, getting more exercise, giving up smoking and controlling alcohol intake. Find out more.
Heart age self-assessment
This self assessment tells you your heart age compared to your real age, explains why it’s important to know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers and gives advice on how to reduce your heart age.
Check your blood pressure
High blood pressure is sometimes called the silent killer, as it often has no symptoms but can significantly increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia. Find out more at the NHS website.
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Healthwatch Northumberland
We are your local health and social care champion. We’re here to make sure your views on NHS and social care services in Northumberland are heard.
