Health and wellbeing advice

We're all responsible for our health and regular health checks are vital.  

• If you're aged 40 to 74, you may be eligible for a free NHS health check. Find out where you can have your NHS Health Check in Hampshire.
• Anyone who is on their GP's learning disability register can have a free health check once a year. You can ask to go on this register if you think you have a learning disability.
• Annual physical health checks are also available for people registered with their GP as having a severe mental illness. You should be invited annually for a health check but if you think you are due one, you should contact your GP surgery.

The NHS One You website has information and advice to help you with all aspects of your physical and mental health. Check your own health by taking the  How are You? quiz.

Make sure you get your annual flu jab. These will usually be free if you are over 65, have certain medical conditions or are a carer. If you are in one of these groups and are not invited for a flu jab, contact your GP.

To keep your risk of alcohol related harm low men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis. It’s good to spread out your drinking evenly over 3 or more days. If you’re trying to cut down on the amount you drink, it’s a good idea to have several alcohol-free days each week.  

• One You offers free information and advice on easy ways to gradually drink less. 
• Drink Coach offer a free, quick and confidential test to find out how risky your drinking is. 
• Inclusion Recovery Hampshire provide a local confidential alcohol helpline for people who want further support: 0300 303 3539

It’s important to seek to get medical advice before you stop drinking if you have physical withdrawal symptoms (like shaking, sweating or feeling anxious until you have your first drink of the day). It can be dangerous to stop drinking too quickly without proper help.

Drug use has very clear effects on health and wellbeing. FRANK's A to Z gives information about the effects and impact of different drugs. The NHS website has comprehensive information about drugs and drug addiction

Do you need help and support?

Whether you’re worried about yourself or a loved one, there is lots of local support and advice available.

If you need help with an alcohol or drug problem you can contact the Hampshire  treatment services for adults or young people.  These are easy to find in local centres across the county.

• Inclusion Recovery Hampshire: drug and alcohol treatment service for adults over 25 years old. Telephone 0300 124 0103
• Hampshire 24/7 :drug and alcohol treatment service for young people aged under 25 years old. Telephone 0845 459 9405

You may want to talk to your GP about your drinking or drug taking. Your GP will listen to you and assess the nature of your problems. They will help you choose suitable treatment and support options which are available. They might offer to treat you or refer you to your local specialist alcohol and drug service.

Further information and advice:

• Alcohol 
  Drinkline is a free national helpline. Call 0300 123 1110. 
  Alcoholics Anonymous has a national helpline 0800 9177 650.
• Drugs
  Talk to FRANK for information, support and live chat. Call 0300 123 6600. 
  Narcotics Anonymous has a national helpline 0300 999 1212.
• For those affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use 
  Parent Support Link offers information and advice as well as support groups across Hampshire for anyone affected by someone else's drug or alcohol use. Call 023 8039 9764. 
  Al-Anon  provides support and advice for those affected by someone else's drinking. Call 020 7403 0888. 
  Adfam provides support for families affected by drugs or alcohol. 
  NHS information for families of drug users .

Now is the right time to quit. Every cigarette causes you real harm and quitting smoking is healthier for you and your family. Smokefree Hampshire is committed to helping smokers who live or work in Hampshire who want to quit. Visit the:

• Smoke free Hampshire website
• call 01264 563039 or 0800 772 3649
• text Quit to 66777
• email smokefree.hampshire@nhs.net 

Tailored support to help you quit – including access to free Nicotine Replacement Therapy.

It sounds obvious but having a balanced diet is crucial for good health and energy and to prevent illness.

• There are lots of cheap and tasty ways you and your family can eat well every day.  The One You website has tips  on cutting out sugar, salt and how to eat well, for less. You can also find out more about healthy eating on the NHS website and visit change4life to get ideas aimed at helping you to lead a healthier life.

• If you are having difficulty preparing food, there may be equipment which can help. Visit the kitchen of our Equipment House for some ideas.

• If you are having difficulty shopping for food, our Shopping page has information which may help.

Losing weight is not a natural part of getting older and undernutrition can lead to illness. Age UK have produced a Healthy eating guide which you can print.  

• If you, or someone you are caring for, is losing weight and you are concerned, you should speak to your GP. Your local pharmacist may also be able to give you some advice.

• BAPEN have developed a simple online self-screening tool you can use along with advice to follow if you are at risk of becoming malnourished. 

It is equally important, especially for older people, to make sure that you drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. Dehydration is a common cause of hospital admission for older people. It can lead to urinary tract infections and make the symptoms of other illnesses worse.

• See this information leaflet for top tips to stay hydrated.
• If you are worried about an older person who is not drinking enough, this easy to follow e-learning course on Hydration in Older People has some useful advice and tips. (N.B. Just click on 'Play' and then 'Continue'. You do not need to register or log in).

Meals on wheels service    

Meals on wheels services are offered by your local authority, subject to certain eligibility criteria:

• Hampshire County Council Meals on Wheels Service
• Portsmouth City Council Meals on Wheels Service
• Southampton City Council Meals on Wheels Service

Maintaining a healthy weight is important for your overall health. Becoming overweight or obese increases your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Find information and advice to help you lose weight.

Hampshire County Council is working with Weightwatchers to provide  support for adults over the age of 18 who want to lose weight or who have been identified as obese. If you’re an adult living in Hampshire and your body mass index (BMI) is above average, you may qualify for free support. (This service is not available to residents living in areas covered by Portsmouth or Southampton city councils).

Incontinence can be very distressing. However, there is a lot of information and support available.

 Information 

• An overview of urinary incontinence from the NHS – including a ‘Bladder self-assessment’
• An overview of bowel incontinence from the NHS
• Can I get incontinence products on the NHS? 

Support 

• Bladder Health UK offer support and advice including a confidential advice line 0121 702 0820.
• Bladder and Bowel UK has online information as well as a national helpline offering advice about a range of bladder and bowel conditions -  0161 214 4591.
• Incontinence UK offers advice, product guides and an interactive forum offering advice from experts and members of the public.
• Information and advice about incontinence from Age UK.
• Continence service from Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.
• Continence service from Solent NHS Trust
• The Changing Places Toilet map is a directory of publicly available disabled friendly toilets and changing facilities across the UK.
• The RADAR National Key Scheme (NKS) offers disabled people independent access to locked public toilets around the country.

Mental health needs can affect anyone, of any age or background and at any time of our life. See our Mental health page to find information and support.

The Men’s Health Forum is a charity supporting men's health in England, Wales and Scotland. You can find fast, free independent advice online as well as manuals and free downloads.

Sleeping well is essential if you are to stay well and feel good. It is especially important if you lead a busy life, are coping with illness or stress or if you are caring for someone else.

If you are having sleep problems, it is important that you understand what is causing this and take steps to sleep better.  

See our top tips and advice for staying independent.

• You can find videos on a wide range of health and care topics on Healthtalk.org and in this Health and Care video library