Staying Healthy

Self Care

Self care is part of daily living.  It is the care taken by individuals taking responsibility for their own health and well-being and includes the actions people take for their children, their families, friends and others in their neighbourhoods and communities.

The four main pillars of self-care are supported by personalised care, links with community and voluntary organisations, professional education and awareness-raising across the population on the benefits of self-care.

In the 2006 ‘Our Health, Our Care, Our Say’ White paper, a commitment was made to initially develop three NHS LifeChecks for early years, adolescent and mid-life. NHS LifeCheck is for everyone - through a straightforward questionnaire it provides personalised information and practical advice, supporting people in making small changes that make a big difference to future health and well-being. The Baby LifeCheck is for parents and carers of babies 5-8 months old and the Teen LifeCheck for young people aged between 12 and 15 years. Both are now available on NHS Choices with the Mid LifeCheck for 45-60 year old which will give personal advice on topics including:

• stopping smoking

• healthy eating

• alcohol

• physical activity

• emotional wellbeing

If you are a health professional and would like information about how you can support your patients to become more involved in their own care then click here.

If you are an individual who would like information on how to look after yourself or manage a long term condition, please look at the options below and choose which suits your needs best.

:: NHS Choices – Live Well ::

• Information on healthy lifestyles

:: The better use of medicines ::

• Always consult a pharmacist or your doctor

• NHS Choices - Medicine Guides provide members of the public with up to date, reliable and understandable information about medicines.

:: Treatment of minor ailments ::

• Visit NHS Choices Self-help Guide - enter your symptoms and get advice on how to treat common health problems at home.

• Clinical Knowledge Summaries a reliable source of evidence-based information and practical 'know how' about the common conditions managed in primary care.  Patient information leaflets and answers to common questions

:: And the better care of long term conditions ::

• Care pathways are available on NHS Choices with information on help to avoid developing the condition, symptoms, being diagnosed, treatment and living with a condition together with an option to create an Information Prescription.  Current pathways include coronary heart disease, asthma, stroke, depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease and diabetes. For a full list of NHS guides, click here.

• For a list of the most common support groups, relating to specific diseases Patient UK

• NHS Choices

• Healthtalkonline shares other people's experiences of health and illness. You can watch or listen to videos of the interviews, read about people's experiences and find reliable information about conditions, treatment choices and support. Healthtalkonline replaces the DIPEx website.

:: Heatwave ::

New advice to help people with respiratory problems cope in a heatwave has been published by the Department of Health.

The Heatwave Plan has been updated to advise those suffering breathing problems that although ozone levels increase in hot weather, they drop in the evening. People with respiratory problems should stay inside during the hottest part of the day and windows should be kept shaded and closed when the temperature is hotter outside than inside.

The benefits of insulating against both heat and cold are outlined, with information on grants that are available from government. Providing cavity insulation in houses helps keep the heat out during summer, as well as keeping homes warm and reducing fuel costs and carbon emissions during colder weather.

Download a leaflet and further information here.

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