Services available to help with bereavement 

Online

For general advice about bereavement you might find the NHS choices article on bereavement useful.

If you are looking for advice about dealing with the practical aspects (such as legal issues) of someone dying then try the Bereavement Advice Centre.

The Leeds Bereavement Forum collates allot of information on the services available in Leeds.

In person

There are also several organisations and charities that provide specialist advice and support to those that have been bereaved:

• Cruse (bereavement care in Leeds area)
• Sands (stillbirth and neonatal death charity)
• The Compassionate Friends
• Leeds Suicide Bereavement Service
• Child Bereavement UK
• Winston’s Wish (for bereaved children)

Advocacy means helping another person to communicate their views and wishes.

GPs often act as advocates for patients when dealing with issues in the hospital or by making sure that their patients’ and/or families’ voices are heard when a decision is needed about their care.

Advocacy involves looking at choices together and helping patients to make decisions. It may be writing a letter of support or communicating on behalf of the patient.

When advocates who are not part of social services or the NHS are needed, they can be found in Leeds at:

• Advonet
• Articulate Advocacy CIC
• Leeds Independent Health Complaints Advocacy

The term ‘social prescribing’ is used to describe a service which supports people to access a range of non-medical services and activities in their local area.

Social prescribing service

The term ‘social prescribing’ is used to describe a service which supports people to access a range of non-medical services and activities in their local area.

Social prescribing can help people with different social, emotional or practical needs to find the right support and improve their health and wellbeing.

The service can help you:

• Get support to improve your physical health.
• Find employment or volunteering opportunities or learn a new skill.
• Tackle money, housing, work or benefits issues.
• Cope with a particular condition or difficulty.
• Access ways of improving your emotional wellbeing such as befriending schemes, peer support or arts and leisure activities.

Our local service is run by Linking Leeds

To make an appointment please contact them on 0113 336 7612 or email linking.leeds@nhs.net

The support we offer during pregnancy Contents

1. Midwife
2. Breastfeeding

Midwife

Karen Birkitt and Vanessa Schofield are our midwives.

They are available at the practice on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can book an appointment with them via the reception desk.

The role of the midwife

A midwife is a qualified nurse who has undertaken further training to provide and promote normal midwifery.

They help you to prepare for motherhood and promote good health for yourself and your baby by advising on the effects of drinking, smoking and good diet whilst you are pregnant.

The midwife guides you through your pregnancy and endeavours to detect any problems and make relevant referrals if necessary.

First appointment with the midwife

If you are pregnant you do not need to see the Dr in order to have your first appointment with the midwife.

You can arrange a booking appointment via the reception desk. This first appointment should be at about 9 weeks of pregnancy.Due date calculator

The Midwife will discuss your options for delivery, arrange appropriate referrals and provide you with dietary advice.

She will also take blood tests and will subsequently discuss the results with you. Whilst you are pregnant and until your baby is one year old you are entitled to free prescriptions and dental treatment. The Midwife will organise for an exemption certificate to be signed and sent off.

During The Pregnancy

Your maternity book lists when you will be seen by the Midwife, Doctor and hospital through your pregnancy. Should you have any concerns at any other time you can contact your midwife or, if she is not available, make an appointment to see a Doctor during normal surgery hours.

At some point during the course of your pregnancy, the Health Visitor will meet you to talk to you about her role in your care and about the childhood vaccination programme.

After Your Birth

After delivery, your Midwife will visit you at home to help you and your baby. Following the birth, she will visit you on your first day at home. When your baby is five days old she will carry out the Guthrie test (which is a special screening test that the Midwife will give you information about) and at ten days old she will discharge you and your baby from her care. Extra visits may be arranged according to need.

Your Health Visitor will visit you at home when your baby is between 10 and 14 days old and can advise on feeding, weaning and any family issues you may have.

About 6 weeks after your birth you should make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss contraception and any concerns you have about your own health.

Breastfeeding

It takes time for you and your baby to learn how to breastfeed.

The NHS Choices page on breast feeding might be useful.

Your midwife can also offer support and advice.

There are also a number of national services offering local support groups, which can be accessed via their websites:

• Babycafe
• Association of Breast Feeding Mothers
• La Leche League GB
• Breastfeeding Network

Additional support as you get older. Contents

1. Clinical Care Co-ordinators
2. District Nurses
3. Community Matron
4. Dementia services
5. Adult Social Care
6. Patient Participation & Support Groups
7. Morley Elderly Action

Clinical Care Co-ordinators

As you get older the range of problems you face can grow, to the point where it might be difficult to cope, know what to do for the best, or make it difficult for you to leave your house.

We have a small team of nurses at the practice who support older people with complex needs to sort out problems you can find yourself faced with.

The sorts of things they can help you with are

• Mobility issues
• Memory problems
• Loneliness and isolation
• Housing issues
• Practical issues such as help dressing and cleaning
• Health issues

Their role is to help you understand the range of services available and support you in deciding the best course of action.

If you feel they could be of help then ask your GP to put you in touch.

District Nurses

District Nurses carry out many roles for housebound patients, including:

• General nursing procedures and investigations
• Post-surgery care
• Assessment of patients’ needs
• Care for terminally ill patients
• Loaning of equipment
• Looking after wounds and leg ulcers
• Educating patients about self-care

Referrals can be made by a Dr or nurse at the practice, patients themselves or by carers and family members.

Community Matron

Community matrons specialise in caring for older people, whether they live in their own home or a care home. They help patients manage their health problems and try to prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital.
If a patient has to be admitted, they will communicate with the hospital team to ensure a smooth a discharge as possible.

Dementia services

It is very important that anyone who has problems with their memory has a proper assessment. If these problems are due to dementia then early diagnosis and referral have many benefits for the patient, their carer(s) and family. It can help them to plan and access the treatment and support they need and to improve their quality of life.

Please book with one of Dr’s who can make the initial assessment and refer you to the memory clinic if needs be.

Adult Social Care

Leeds city council help people aged over 18 to live as well as possible with their illness, disability or other problems. It can include help with things like washing, dressing, eating, getting out and about and keeping in touch with family and friends.

Adults who may need extra care and support include:

• Older people
• People with learning disabilities
• People with physical disabilities
• People with mental health problems
• People with drug and/or alcohol issues
• Carers

They offer a wide range of support and help and their adults and health page is a good place to start.

Or call them 0113 222 4401 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)

This can be done by you, a family member, a friend.

If you have difficulty using the telephone please email them at feedback@leeds.gov.uk.

Patient Participation & Support Groups

The Patient Club organises weekly Chair Aerobics, monthly coffee mornings and ad-hoc knitting projects for good causes as well as a few additional social events. Everyone is welcome!

The Well-being Club offers monthly education and support meetings for patients with Diabetes.

To find out more about these groups which have been set up by patients of Leigh View Medical Practice, and their projects click here.

Morley Elderly Action

Morley Elderly Action is a registered charity based at Wesley Street in Morley. Their aim is to help and support people aged over 60 to live independently in their own home. They cover the area of Greater Morley which includes Morley, Churwell, Drighlington, Gildersome, Tingley, East and West Ardsley.

MEA provides a diverse range of services. It gives practical help where needed and helps people by signposting them to other organisations or places where they can get the help they need.

They are here to help with:

• Benefit Checks
• Home visits to assess your needs
• Advocacy
• Care Ring Applications
• Access to a qualified Solicitor
• Contact with approved trade people
• Arranging Key Safes
• Access to a Gardening Scheme
• Referrals and Signposting
• Accessing Adaptations
• Home safety and security

Health checks for people with a diagnosed problem. “Clinic D”.

If you have one of the following conditions then you will be invited for an annual health check (“Clinic D”) with the Health Care Assistant.

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Chronic bronchitis or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Learning disabilities
• Dementia
• Severe mental health problems
• Stroke

We usually try invite all people for their Health Care Assistant annual health check in the same month as their birthday.

The GP reviews the results and does a review of the patient’s records and medications.

Whilst reviewing the results, the GP will ask Reception staff to contact any patient who then feel needs a GP review. The GP updates the medication review date at that point.  Many patients no longer need to see a GP at all for their routine annual reviews anymore, and will only see a GP if they are having any medical problems or new symptoms.

The appointment will be either 10, 20 or 30 minutes long, which is stated on the invitation letter.

Patients with Asthma are invited to see a Practice Nurse for their Annual Review.

Services we provide relating to Alcohol and Drugs Contents

1. Do I need help?
2. Getting help

Do I need help?

Take the alcohol test this is an excellent online tool which helps you work out if you’re at risk of alcohol-related problems and some simple things you can do to reduce the risk.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer paper format:Alcohol brief intervention ()

Getting help

Forward Leeds

Forward Leeds has a wide range of services that support young people, adults and families in Leeds with alcohol and/or drug use.

It is the service that our Dr’s will refer you to if you need help, you can also self-refer to the service.

Here is the list of Forward Leeds services

Or call them on 0113 8872477

Alcoholics Anonymous

Alcoholics Anonymous is a national network of free self-help groups aimed at helping people recover from alcoholism.

Some people find them very useful and our Doctors often recommend them.

The best way of finding out about them and your closest group is at Alcoholics Anonymous

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