You can get help and impartial independent advice on how you could benefit from heating and insulation measures on the Simple Energy Advice website Simple Energy Advice
Your energy supplier may provide a service called the 'Warm Home Discount scheme' which pays £140 either to your electricity account or vouchers to top up your electricity meter. You will need to contact your electricity supplier to see if you meet their eligibility criteria
People aged 60 or over, disabled people or those who suffer from a chronic illness, are entitled to a range of services, by signing up for free to their energy suppliers Priority Service Register. The Priority Service Register has also been recently extended to include:
Customers with certain mental health conditions which impact on them understanding their bill
Customers who cannot top up their pre-payment meter due to injury
Temporary circumstances where a customer needs extra support for a limited amount of time
Details of how to join can be found on the reverse of your energy bill
If you don't know who your current gas and electricity supplier is, this can be checked by contacting:
If you are experiencing difficulties paying your gas/or electricity bill or have an energy debt then you should contact your supplier in the first instance. Other impartial advice is available from the National debtline 0808 808 4000 or from the StepChange debt Charity 0800 138 1111.
Preparing for Colder Weather
From keeping your house warm to protecting yourself from common ailments, find out how to stay healthy this winter on NHS Choices.
Grants to help you insulate and heat your property are available for home owners and landlords whose tenants are on a low incomes or in receipt of qualifying benefits. Landlords who own qualifying rental properties can receive up to two-thirds subsidy of costs up to £5,000. Anyone can get in touch with us to receive advice on saving energy or to have a benefit check.
Website and Online Referral: https://www.warmhomessuffolk.org/
Do you think you would benefit from some further support to reduce your drinking to 'lower risk' levels?
Speak to your GP, a loved one or call Drinkline 0300 1231110 (Mon-Fri 9am - 8pm, weekends 11am - 4pm). The Drinkline service provides free, confidential, accurate and consistent information and advice to callers who are concerned about their own or someone else`s drinking regardless of the caller`s age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity or spirituality
Download the 'One You' drinks tracker makes it easy to keep an eye on the booze and take control with daily tips and feedback) available on itunes or google play
Get further information from NHS Choices www.nhs.uk
Download the free Drink Coach app, which features a range of tools proven to help you reduce your alcohol intake. The DrinkCoach website also provides tips and advice to help you reduce your alcohol intake. You can take a quick, free and confidential test to see how much alcohol you're drinking and get access to online coaching
SELF CARE
Further tips on cutting down
Make a plan Before you start drinking, set a limit on how much you're going to drink.
Set a budget Only take a fixed amount of money to spend on alcohol.
Let them know If you let your friends and family know you're cutting down and it's important to you, you could get support from them.
Take it a day at a time Cut back a little each day. That way, every day you do is a success.
Make it a smaller one You can still enjoy a drink, but go for smaller sizes. Try bottled beer instead of pints, or a small glass of wine instead of a large one.
Have a lower-strength drink Cut down the alcohol by swapping strong beers or wines for ones with a lower strength (ABV in %). You'll find this information on the bottle.
Stay hydrated Have a glass of water before you have alcohol and alternate alcoholic drinks with water or a soft drink.
Take a break Have several drink-free days each week.
Drug and alcohol misuse can be harmful to your physical and mental health and wellbeing.
There are treatment services to support adults and young people affected by drug and alcohol misuse in Suffolk. Drug and Alcohol treatment services for adults and young people in Suffolk are provided by Turning Point in conjunction with Suffolk Family Carers and Iceni
Located on the peaceful Suffolk coast in the heart of East Anglia, our addiction treatment centre is the ideal setting for those seeking recovery to start changing their minds, and their lives, for a brighter future.
SMART is a science based programme to help people manage their recovery from any form of addictive behaviour.
This includes addictions to substances such as alcohol, drugs and nicotine, or compulsive behaviours such as gambling, sex, eating, shopping, self-harming and so on.
SMART stands for ‘Self-Management and Recovery Training’. There are SMART meetings in Ipswich or you can join an online meeting. Contact SMART UK or visit the website to find your nearest meeting.
STARS Supporting Treatment Accommodation and Recovery in Suffolk
STARS offers intensive support to people who are accessing treatment for drug/alcohol issues and have struggled to maintain a tenancy in the past.
The STARS service offers twenty five units of accommodation, located across Suffolk for single people alongside a dedicated worker who will help individuals to build the skills they need to live independently and eventually move on to more permanent housing.
To meet the criteria for the service, individuals must be a Suffolk resident, be accessing substance misuse treatment and be 18 years or over. Priority will be given to those who are in most need of intensive support.
Give reassurances that there are lots of sources of support and help your bereaved person make contact with sources of support.
If you are worried that this person is in crisis, please see section forSuicide Prevention
If no immediate risk take the following steps:
Encourage and support them to contact:
National Bereavement Service
Most people will have to take responsibility for all the practical arrangements after a death, at least once in their lives. For others, it can be many more times. In any circumstance, loss is a difficult and often distressing time.
The National Bereavement Service offers practical and emotional support to guide you through what needs to be done. We can introduce the bereaved to trusted partner organisations in both private and charitable sectors, as well as provide information on the statutory requirements following loss, such as the registration of death and probate.
Cruse offers advice and information about types of support, where to get it, and help supporting other people. They also have a telephone helpline and webchat service enabling people to talk about how they are feeling Home - Cruse Bereavement Support.
The charity Mind has a wealth of information about different types of bereavement, where to go for support and suggestions for helping yourself and others Support and self-care for grief - Mind. This includes a dedicated section with information on Losing someone to suicide - Mind
Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. We support children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live, and parents and the wider family when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying.
Encourage the person to contact their GP. Their GP will be able support the person in many ways
Mind 'The charity for better mental health' has an extensive range of self help resources available
TheNHS have has a range of self-help tools available
Andy's Man Clubprovides a weekly talking group, a place for men to come together in a safe environment to talk about issues/problems they be have faced or currently been facing. Meetings take place regularly in different locations across the region, where applicable these can be found in the local support and contact details section.
For Men -CALM(Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer accredited, confidential and free support to men anywhere in the UK through a helpline and web and webchat service. They talk through any issue with you and offer support, advice and signposting.
Qwell- Free, safe and anonymous mental wellbeing support for adults across the UK
Kooth - is your online mental wellbeing community. Access free, safe and anonymous support, for 11-25 year olds
Every Mind Matters
‘Every Mind Matters’ is the first national mental health campaign from Public Health England
It’s an NHS-approved digital hub full of expert advice and practical tips to achieve good mental health
It also has a free NHS-approved online tool - ‘Your Mind Plan’ to help us:
Adultscan self-refer toImproving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. IAPT is a national NHS programme, which offers evidence based psychological therapies or interventions approved by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). IAPT is primarily for treating people with mild to moderate mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
IAPT treatments are delivered via a stepped care model where patients are initially offered low intensity therapies, such as computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT) and guided self-help. If these treatments are unsuccessful, or not appropriate for individuals, higher intensity therapies are utilised and include one to one cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or interpersonal therapy (IPT).Please see local support and contact details for further information.
Support Services - Veterans
VeteransCombat Stress is the UK's leading mental health charity for veterans. They offer free, confidential 24-hour support to Service and ex-Service personnel who are experiencing mental health issues, including feeling suicidal.
The PANDAS Foundation is here to help support and advise any parent who is experiencing a perinatal mental illness. We are also here to inform and guide family members, carers, friends and employers as to how they can support someone who is suffering.
Tel:0843 2898401 (0900 - 2000 hrs, 7 days per week)
It is important that you take care of your own health, even if you are busy looking after someone else's health. Being healthy is not only important for you, but it also helps the person you care after too. The website contains some helpful guides on relationship management and information on self-care and respite care.
Children and Young Peoplecan contact the 'The Mix which is a leading support service that can help young people to take on any challenge they are facing - from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs.
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline, which parents/careers can call if they are worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. They also run a group called Parents Say, for parents whose children are accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Support group and events for those who have suffered pregnancy or baby loss in Lowestoft and surrounding areas of Suffolk.
Regular meet-ups between members, coffee mornings, pamper events and more. You do not have to attend any of the meetings if you don’t feel ready to, there is no pressure.
1) Be-friender scheme - they will appoint another group member who will be happy to chat with you and support you whenever you need them.
2) Regular meetings - They have regular meetings which are open to anyone in the group. These can be anything from coffee mornings, Afternoon Tea or pamper evenings.
3) Counselling session - They can provide counselling sessions with a trained counsellor if you need a professional to talk to.
Please check the website to confirm current arrangements.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths every day.
Frontline services Anyone can hit crisis point. CALM run a free and confidential helpline and webchat – 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk about life’s problems. They support those bereaved by suicide, through the Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP).
Communities Together they help parents, siblings, partners, friends and colleagues. CALM spread their message and facilitate, universities, pubs, clubs and prisons across the country – so that people feel empowered to share their experiences and get the help they need before they reach the point of crisis.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths every day.
Cruse offers face-to-face, telephone, email and website support. They have a Freephone national helpline and local services, and a website (hopeagain.org.uk) specifically for children and young people. Cruses services are provided by a network of 5,000 trained volunteers and are confidential and free.
Bereavement support following a suicide for those living in Suffolk and Norfolk.
Hope After Suicide provides a comprehensive support package specifically tailored to meet the needs of suicide loss, to alleviate isolation, reduce secondary suicides and offer a service with no waiting list.
They offer:
Open ended free support
Telephone and Skype support available 7 days a week
Free access to a library of books through our website
The marking and remembering of the anniversary of a person’s death
Support at group meetings in Bury St. Edmunds, Ipswich and Lowestoft
Signposting for survivors
All individuals delivering support for HOPE are required to:
Have personal experience of suicide loss.
Enhanced DBS clearance
Attend monthly supervision
Participate in training and workshops as required
Have a minimum of CPCAB Level 3 counselling skills training or be working towards the qualification
Have completed a recognised Adult Safeguarding training
Peer led meet up group for young people aged 18-35.
'Let’s Talk About Loss' was set up by young people for young people. They run peer-led meet up groups in a growing number of cities across the UK for young people aged 18 to 35 who have been bereaved at any stage. It is a safe space to talk through taboos and address the reality of losing someone close to you when you are young. They believe that by meeting other young people who have experienced loss, young people can share their stories and struggles without fear, judgement or awkward silences. They’d love you to join them. Meetings are face to face and virtual, there is a blog on the website and individuals can submit their story be emailing blog@letstalkaboutloss.org.
Listening support for those who have experienced loss through abortion or miscarriage.
Perspectives Ipswich provide a free and confidential counselling support for those experiencing unplanned pregnancy, pregnancy loss and post abortion loss.
Provides specialist counselling to parents suffering trauma and loss during pregnancy and birth.
Petals Charity provides specialist counselling to parents suffering trauma and loss during pregnancy and birth. The charity currently provides a service in Cambridge, Ipswich, Oxford and London but is working towards providing a nationwide specialist counselling service for parents affected by any of the following:
Miscarriage
Poor pregnancy diagnosis
Stillbirth
Neonatal loss
Antenatal anxiety following a previous loss/losses
They are also working to mainstream specialist baby loss counselling so that it is included with best practice in all UK maternity settings
Petals provides a free, counselling service to support women, men and couples through the devastation of baby loss. Petals’ counselling programme is unique – it has been specifically designed and developed to meet the needs of parents who have suffered pregnancy complications, the loss of a pregnancy or the death of a baby. Their counsellors are experts in this field, and have years of experience between them of counselling people after all types of baby loss.
Carers Trust works to transform the lives of unpaid carers.
It partners with its network of local carer organisations to provide funding and support, deliver innovative and evidence-based programmes and raise awareness and influence policy. Carers Trust’s vision is that unpaid carers are heard and valued, with access to support, advice and resources to enable them to live fulfilled lives.
On the website you will find a search tab to look up any local support services in your local area
If you are 18 or under and you care for someone you are entitled to help and support.
Carers UK
Looking after someone can be tough, but you’re not on your own. Carers UK is here to listen, to give you expert information and advice that’s tailored to your situation, to champion your rights and support you in finding new ways to manage at home, at work, or wherever you are.
We give expert advice, information and support.
Caring can be extremely complicated. The maze of rights and entitlements can be complicated. Filling in paperwork can be complicated. Getting a break can be complicated. Our feelings about caring can certainly be complicated.
We're here to make sure that no matter how complicated your query or your experience, you don't have to care alone.
Our expert telephone advice and support service is here if you want to talk about caring. If you're looking for answers, our online information and support is the best place to start.
We connect carers so no-one has to care alone.
Every day 6,000 people become carers. It can be bewildering if you don't know where to turn for help and support.
Through our carers' groups and volunteers we're reaching out in local communities throughout the UK and online.
If you're new to caring, we want to make sure you get the right support from the start.
Adult and Community Services work with the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to provide support for carers fromSuffolk Family CarersandAlzheimer's Society. Both are valuable sources of information, advice and support for family carers on a whole range of issues.
You can use our website to find more information about:
Caring can be extremely complicated. The maze of rights and entitlements can be complicated. Filling in paperwork can be complicated. Trying to organise a break can be complicated. Our feelings about caring can certainly be complicated.
We’re here to make sure that no matter how complicated your query or your experience, you don’t have to care alone.
99% of family carers felt that Suffolk Family Carers listened, and gave them information and advice to empower them to make informed decisions about their caring role.
We provide innovative services, often ahead of the field. Our work with young carers in now long established and well respected in over 90 schools and colleges across Suffolk. We have support workers in all the main hospitals across Suffolk, and GP surgeries in West & East Suffolk, to identify and support family carers. We introduced the ‘Carer Friendly Hospital’ award for hospitals, to recognise the needs of the family carer alongside the patient. Our work within the sphere of mental health and wellbeing is considered exemplary by family carers and practitioners alike. We also support family carers who are affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use. We signpost to relevant agencies and provide positive opportunities to meet others in a similar situation, share viewpoints and discuss different strategies.
Dementia Connect, Alzheimer's Society's dementia support service, is free, easy to access, and puts you in touch with the right support. From local help to phone and online advice.
Alzheimer’s Society’s dementia advisers can support you directly by phone or face to face, as well as connect you to a range of local services.
It's normal for your memory to be affected by stress, tiredness, certain illnesses and medicines. But if you're becoming increasingly forgetful, particularly if you're over the age of 65, it's a good idea to talk to a GP about the early signs of dementia. Memory losscan be annoying if it happens occasionally, but if it's affecting your daily life, or it's worrying you, or someone you know, you should get help from a GP.
Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia charity. We campaign for change, fund research to find a cure and support people living with dementia today.
Carers UK- Making life better for carers: Telephone: 0808 808 7777 Email: advice@carersuk.org
Self Care
We can’t change our age or our genes, and there is currently no way we can completely prevent dementia. However, there are some simple steps we can all take to help lower our risk.
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease (like high blood pressure and stroke) are also risk factors for dementia, so what is good for your heart is good for your brain. Looking after your health, cutting out smoking and being physically active on a regular basis will help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s likely you’ll be lowering your risk of dementia too, particularly vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The Herbert Protocol is a national scheme that encourages carers, family and friends to provide and put together useful information, which can then be used in the event of a vulnerable person going missing.
Carers and / or relatives and friends can complete a form in advance, including important information about the missing individual such as the contact numbers, medication needed, locations the person was last seen and so forth also a photograph can be provided.
Click here for more information for residents in Bedfordshire
There are over 12,000 people living with dementia in Suffolk – a figure that is only expected to rise in the coming years as Suffolk welcomes more elderly into the county. With this in mind, Suffolk healthcare has an extensive range of dementia services in place to help those living with the disease.
Age Space has compiled all the Suffolk dementia services that are available in one place for you here.
Click on the linksbelow to find out more information of the different services within Suffolk and the locality of their work.
Working together to ensure family carers are visible, valued, supported and connected.
For over 30 years Suffolk Family Carers have been helping family carers of all ages across Suffolk get the support they need to live fuller lives. We provided information, advice and support to thousands of family carers each year.
Our credible representation of family carers’ needs, and our valued work in supporting family carers, enables us to campaign on issues that affect them, to ensure their voices are heard. We will keep driving change across society to enable family carers to have a life of their own alongside their caring role.
What We Do
Caring can be extremely complicated. The maze of rights and entitlements can be complicated. Filling in paperwork can be complicated. Trying to organise a break can be complicated. Our feelings about caring can certainly be complicated.
We’re here to make sure that no matter how complicated your query or your experience, you don’t have to care alone.
99% of family carers felt that Suffolk Family Carers listened, and gave them information and advice to empower them to make informed decisions about their caring role.
We provide innovative services, often ahead of the field. Our work with young carers in now long established and well respected in over 90 schools and colleges across Suffolk. We have support workers in all the main hospitals across Suffolk, and GP surgeries in West & East Suffolk, to identify and support family carers. We introduced the ‘Carer Friendly Hospital’ award for hospitals, to recognise the needs of the family carer alongside the patient. Our work within the sphere of mental health and wellbeing is considered exemplary by family carers and practitioners alike. We also support family carers who are affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use. We signpost to relevant agencies and provide positive opportunities to meet others in a similar situation, share viewpoints and discuss different strategies.
In person visits: Our Carers Space provides facilities for you to drop in and meet with our staff to simply chat and enjoy a coffee. Our offices are wheelchair accessible and parking is available.
Providing advice and support for women and children, against domestic violence. If you are seeking immediate support, call the free Helpline. Messages sent through the website will be responded to within 48 hours, messages won’t leave any trace on emails and the helpline team won’t leave voicemails when calling back for safety reasons.
Domestic Abuse helpline Tel:0808 2000 247 – Open 24 hours a day
A national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. A federation of over 180 organisations providing just under 300 services across England. They provide online help and support to women and children suffering domestic abuses, help to access refuge accommodation, outreach services and Independent domestic violence advocacy (IDVA).
Resources on this website explore technology in the context of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and violence against women. To talk to someone who can answer your questions and support you, call the National Domestic Abuse helpline. Information includes:
Safety tips, information, and privacy strategies for survivors on the use of technology
Spyware and Stalkerware information
Smartphones - Increasing privacy & responding to abuse
Tips on being webwise when sharing personal information online
Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic abuse and those supporting them. The service offers advice and emotional support to men who experience abuse, and signpost to other vital services that help keep them and their children safe. Your call will not appear on itemised bills.
Tel: 0808 801 0327 (run by Respect) Mon–Fri 9am-8pm
The helpline team has extensive experience in supporting LGBT+ people who are victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, so-called conversion therapies, honour-based abuse, forced marriage, and other forms of abuse. Professionals can also contact this number for advice.
Tel:0800 999 5428 (run by Galop) Mon to Fri 10am – 5pm, Weds and Thurs 10am – 8:00pm
Free telephone advice line providing women with legal advice and information on a wide range of legal issues including domestic violence, child contact, sexual violence and the criminal justice process and immigration and asylum as well as other legal issues arising from relationship breakdown.
Tel:020 7251 8887 Tues 2pm – 4pm and 7pm – 9pm, Thurs 2pm – 4pm, Fri 10am – 12pm. The line is closed on Bank holidays.
For men worried about their behaviours and relationships and who want to take steps to change. Providing perpetrator support and helping men to become safe around their partners and children.
Women’s Centre:We run a women, young people and children’s centre in central Ipswich. This is a service for Suffolk and is open to all women, young people and children. The centre provides a one-stop shop of advice and information for women, young people and children (particularly those who are suffering or have suffered domestic abuse), whilst presenting an opportunity for all women, young people and children across the county to develop new skills and come together within a safe and caring environment.
We support all women, young people and children welcoming them to our centre and encouraging them to use our facilities to promote their independence and raise their confidence. Our staff are on hand to provide any support and information that may be required.
Our services are free, confidential and non-judgemental.
Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre was established in 1974 to provide safety and support for women and children experiencing domestic abuse. The Refuge has living accommodation for up to 8 women and 15 children. We offer temporary accommodation in a safe and supportive refuge where women and their children can recover from the traumatic effects of domestic abuse and make informed choices. We also offer a range of community services, courses and counselling to support women and children to rebuild their lives after abuse
Services provided:
Outreach Service This is accessed via our widely publicised telephone number. Information, advice and support at the Outreach Centre through appointments or at a safe location of the caller’s choosing.
Education & Empowerment Our 12-week Freedom Programme is a proven tool for the rehabilitation of survivors of abuse. We run 6 courses per year. Around 15 women attend each course.
Survivors of Domestic Abuse – SODA This group meets weekly in term-time, offering women the opportunity to learn new skills and coping mechanisms.
Weekly Coffee Morning This is an opportunity for women to meet with former residents who have rebuilt their lives.
(Please note, for your safety, we cannot give advice via email. We can, however, return a call to a ‘safe’ number.)
Telephone: 0330 551 9495
Norfolk and Suffolk Victim Care
We give emotional and practical help to people who have been affected by crime in Suffolk. We’re an independent charity and you can contact us for support regardless of whether you’ve contacted the police, and no matter how long ago the crime took place.
We’ll help you for as long as it takes to overcome the impact of crime. If you call your local Victim Support team, we’ll make sure you get the information and support you need. This might be arranging a meeting for you to talk to us and receive emotional support in confidence, helping you to fill out a compensation form or get advice on how to make your home more secure, or referring you to other specialist organisations that can also help.
Website: https://www.nsvictimcare.org/
Email: nsvictimcare@victimsupport.org.uk
Telephone:
0300 303 3706 between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday
Out of hours support is available viaVictim Support; call: 0808 16 89 111
The effective assessment of an individual’s risk of a fall would be a multifactorial intervention considering falls history, visual impairment etc. This assessment would enable the referral of an individual to effective interventions targeted at specific risk factors
Your GP may carry out some simple tests to check your balance. They can also review any medicines you're taking, in case their side effects may increase your risk of falling. Your GP may also recommend:
having a sight test if you're having problems with your vision, even if you already wear glasses
having an electrocardiogram (ECG) and checking your blood pressure while lying and standing
requesting a home hazard assessment, where a healthcare professional visits your home to identify potential hazards and offer
advice doing exercises to improve your strength and balance (try some exercises for older people)
Suffolk Community Services provide a range of specialist services across the county to support to people with a wide range of conditions including falls. We also run and support groups to encourage peer support for people with various conditions - for example for falls prevention, including exercise courses.
Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group Falls
The Falls Directory is for Health and Social Care professionals to locate the most appropriate services for patients, having recognised that they are at risk of falling, in the event of a fall or for fall rehabilitation.
Providing a falls prevention service. Please follow the link to their web page to find information about how to prevent falls, what to do if you have a fall and who to contact.
Step by Step - Better Balance Falls Prevention - ActivLives
ActivLives Better Balance sessions are aimed at people aged 55 and over who are at risk of falling or who have previously fallen. These sessions are designed to help keep you mobile, active and independent.
Specialised exercises can help make it easier to stay steady on your feet, improve your confidence, reduce your risk of falling and help with everyday activities such as getting out of chair. The sessions incorporate OTAGO falls prevention exercises which can help maintain strength, balance and flexibility.
The session is for 1 hour and is a mixture of seated and standing exercises. We are working in partnership with Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group to deliver the Step by Step programme to provide community based falls prevention exercise sessions.
Do get in touch to find out more - we are a friendly and welcoming organisation and look forward to hearing from you
The Citizens Advice Service can help you to make the right choices, including help to deal with your debt problems, how to avoid losing your home and how to get your finances back into shape. Citizens Advice also offer advice on Benefits and Tax credits as it's important to make sure that you get all the help that you're entitled to
PayPlans supportive, non-judgemental team of advisers help thousands of people beat their debts every year, and treat all of their calls with the strictest confidence.
Credit unions offer an alternative to traditional banks and building societies for saving and borrowing.
They're there to provide a financial community. Credit Unions can help those who can't get access to ordinary bank products; a lifeline in less well-off communities for people grappling with their finances.
Suffolk Advice and Support Service (SASS) is a free phoneline and is available to support vulnerable people in our communities (who do not have a network of family or friends to call upon), to access emergency support such as:
emergency food and medicine deliveries, if you are self-isolating
befriending schemes
support with basic care needs
debt/money advice
Telephone:
The telephone number is freephone 0800 068 3131 and is staffed from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
You will be asked to indicate what you need help with. Your call will then be routed to an appropriate organisation in your local area who can support you or signpost where appropriate. This may include uploading your details onto the Warm Handover digital platform that member organisations can use to send referrals in a secure way.
Debt/money advice queries will be answered by specialist debt advisors on-hand to assist.
East Suffolk Council - Financial Inclusion
We are co-ordinating a programme of advice and support to help people in East Suffolk with the rising cost of living. The website provides information on the services and support available, including help with accessing support, as well as useful tips and advice.
Please note that we do not have money to give to customers and that this is not an emergency service, but we will do everything we can to help.
Telephone: 0333 016 2000 and ask for help with money
Citizens Advice Bureau
We provide free, confidential, independent and impartial advice and campaign on big issues affecting people’s lives.
Our goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face.
We are an independent charity and part of the Citizens Advice network across England and Wales.
People come to us with all sorts of issues. You may have money, benefit, housing, relationship or employment problems. You may be facing a crisis, or just considering your options.
"If you're looking for help, whether that's help to get out of debt, find a job or gain vital life skills, Christians Against Poverty provides a range of free professional services across the UK through local churches. This is open to everyone, regardless of background and beliefs.
Learn practical skills to help you live well on a low income every day.
Call free on: 0800 328 0006"
Suffolk County Council - Multiply Suffolk
As part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Suffolk County Council is able to offer tailored courses that meet the needs of the local community. Multiply Suffolk will offer adults who do not already have a GCSE grade C/4 or higher in Maths or equivalent, and need to improve their numeracy, free flexible courses that fit around their lives that can be held in various settings.
Examples of the free courses and initiatives we offer are: money management, numeracy for parents/carers and Level 1&2 Numeracy (accredited) courses. Our support is available to residents on either a part time or intensive basis. People who improve their numeracy skills are more likely to be in employment, have higher wages, and better wellbeing.
Who's eligible for the help on offer?
Those that:
are 19+,
have a Suffolk postcode,
Does not hold a Level 2 qualification (GCSE or functional skills) or above in numeracy.
How to find out more:
You can learn more about how Multiply Suffolk might help you by speaking to one of our team at multiplysuffolk@suffolk.gov.uk
Healthwatch Suffolk
‘Tackling Poverty Together
We want to hear your experiences of financial hardship and work together to do something about it!
This project aims to bring up to 15 people with lived experience of financial hardship, (whether this was in the past or presently) from across Suffolk together to build a safe space to share and learn. These are known as Community Partners. Further on in the project, we will bring 15 people from different business sectors called our Civic Partners together that want to create change. We will work together to come up with 3/4 main objectives to focus on.
Together we can look at different ways that we can support you to take part in this project, please ask.
If you would like to share your experience, please send us an email at: tacklingpoverty@healthwathsuffolk.co.uk or phone 0800 4488234 and ask for the Tackling Poverty Together Facilitation Team.
Problem gambling is often described as a hidden addiction and some people may have gone to great lengths to hide this. Where the person has highlighted that problem gambling may be affecting them and/or the people around them.
Give reassurances that there are lots of sources of support
BeGambleAware
The BeGambleAware website has a short series of questions you can complete if you are concerned about your own or someone else's gambling. This has direct link to help, support and advice about problem gambling. The National Gambling Helpline can be contact on 0808 8020 133
The Helpline provides confidential advice, information and emotional support throughout Great Britain to anyone experiencing problems with gambling. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
GamCare Forum:
This is an online message board, providing a safe and secure space for users (who may be gamblers or their partners, friends and family) to share experiences, thoughts and feelings about problem gambling. Although the Forum is moderated by the GamCare Team, it is designed first and foremost for people to come together in similar situations, working through similar concerns and problems.
GamCare run regular sessions in their online chatroom, where users can use live text chat to talk about issues related to gambling harms with other people in similar situations, supported by one of our Adviser.
Their Chatroom is a safe and supportive environment. Some sessions might be fairly busy and intense; others will be quieter and more relaxed. Each session is moderated by one of our Advisers, who will welcome you to the chat and be on hand to guide everyone or answer questions if needed.
GamCare provides local services for people concerned about their own gambling and for people affected by someone else’s gambling.
People can refer themselves or be referred by another professional. Following assessment they provide individually tailored support through 1-1 sessions and groups or courses. They work holistically to enhance opportunities for people to make changes in their own gambling. We support affected others by providing a safe space for them to recognise and increase their coping skills.
Runs local support groups for people with gambling addictions and advocates the same 12-step approach to recovery as Alcoholics Anonymous. Gamblers Anonymous also offers help and support via their website, including a forum, chat room and literature. Anyone who is seeking help for gambling addiction is able to attend meetings.
Is an organisation dedicated to supporting the husbands, wives, partners, relatives or close friends of someone with a gambling problem who have also been affected by the problem. Like Gamblers Anonymous, meetings are held throughout the country, with online support also available.
BigDeal is a place for young people to get information, advice and guidance about gambling. They also also help parents and professionals such as teachers, social workers and youth workers. They know all about gambling, how someone else’s gambling can affect you, and about the difficulties young people can get into if their gambling gets out of hand. That’s why you can share your worries via their live chat or helpline, without fear of judgement.
Where the person has indicated that problem gambling may be affecting their physical and mental health and wellbeing. (This could include anxiety/depression, low mood, stress, use of alcohol as a coping mechanism etc)
Encourage the person to contact their GP. Their GP will be able support the person in many ways whilst they seek help for any associated gambling problems.
MECC Link has dedicated content for a range of national and local support services for Mental and Physical Health.
Where the personal has indicated that they would like more information on self-exclusion from bookmakers or online gambling sites.
National self-exclusion schemes
New multi-operator schemes are being introduced across the five main sectors of the gambling industry to allow you to exclude yourself from each of those forms of gambling across the whole of Great Britain.
Online sector self-exclusion and blocking software
If you want to self-exclude from an online (remote) gambling company then you will need to contact each of the companies with which you hold an account. This can usually be done on the responsible gambling pages of the website. You can also get email addresses and telephone numbers for online gambling companies that are part of the Remote Gambling Association here
If you are worried about online gambling then you can download a 'site blocker', which can block access to on line gambling sites. You can find further information on blocking software here
Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others do the same.
This site offers various aids for the compulsive gambler including a forum, a chat room, literature and most importantly a meeting finder.
Meetings are the core of Gamblers Anonymous and we have meetings every day of the week throughout England, Wales and Ulster.
With the easing of restrictions, Groups across the country are beginning to resume their physical meetings in line with the government’s guidelines. Many online meetings are still taking place. A list of online meetings can be found here. If you have any questions, please use the relevant phone number on the contact us page contact.
GamCare provides advice, practical help, support and counselling in addressing the social impact of gambling. Please see the website for more information.
GamCare provides live, confidential, one-to-one information, advice and emotional support, plus we can signpost to further sources of specialist help, including our face to face, online and telephone treatment services across England, Scotland and Wales.
The Helpline (phone and live chat) services are available 24 hours a day. Advisers are specifically trained and can discuss what options are available, and they can offer coping strategies to those who want to change their gambling behaviour as well as support for others who are impacted by gambling.
The Public Health England 'One You' Website contains a wealth of information on different food choices and healthy recipes
Visit the healthy eating page on the 'Change for Life' website which has loads of great information about food and drink swaps for a healthier diet.
Try the new 'Be Food Smart app'! See how much sugar, sat fat and salt is really inside your food and drink - just by scanning the barcode from your mobile phone, Android and Iphone Apps available.
Visit the recipes page on 'Change for Life' has a extensive list of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and lunchboxes!
The West Suffolk Eating Disorders Service offers a communityservice to young people with possible Eating Disorders.
Age of service: This service covers children and young people under 25 years. However, the service is available to people over the age of 25 years.
The conditions you treat:We are currently providing treatment forAnorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa.
What to expect from us:You can expect to be contacted between 5-15 days depending on urgency once we have received your referral into our service. Our emphasis is to provide early intervention to try and keep the young person in the community. We provide comprehensive assessment to determine need and risk. From this we develop a care plan with the young person and their family.
Treatment and therapy may include education and information about eating disorders, nutritional support and advice, meal planning and management, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Therapy and Family Based Treatment (for details of what these treatments are seeEating Disorders Service Treatment Definitions). The aim is to minimize harm and promote recovery.
How we support carers, including friends and family:We recognize the importance of families and carers and where possible, we work closely with them. We understand that talking about eating difficulties can be a sensitive issue to discuss and we offer time to talk to individuals and families.
We offer a Parent Skills Based Program, aimed at informing, educating and helping parents and carers through their child’s recovery from an eating disorder. This runs for 6 consecutive weeks, focusing on different subjects, such as, nutrition, exercise, understanding the condition and building resilience.
We also offer a parent and carers support group, which is facilitated by our service staff and parents together. This group runs on the first Wednesday of each month from 6.30pm, at The Recovery College, Hospital Road, Ickworth Drive, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3NR. This group is a closed group to those who are in service with us.
Referral and availability notes: Referral to our service is through theEmotional Wellbeing Hubfor 0-25-year olds or through your GP. (If you are over 25 please see your GP to be referred to our service.)
The Emotional Wellbeing Hub will assess your referral and aim to contact you within a week of receiving your referral, depending on the level of risk. If your referral is deemed high risk, you will be contacted within 48hrs. (If it is a life-threatening emergency call 999.)
An Emotional Wellbeing Hub practitioner will contact you or the service user by phone to discuss the information you have provided in your referral and they will determine if our service is suitable for you or if the needs of the service user can be best met with another service.
Telephone: 01638 558650
There is a general ‘mental health’ out of hours service available. The contact number for this is 0300 123 1334.
If you think the person you are concerned about is in immediate danger or needs urgent care, please call 999.
Whilst there are some amazing national services available, we recommend a local first approach. A list of local services can be found at the foot of this text
Street Link is a national service which can be used by members of the public if they see people sleeping rough. Referrals can be made using the hotline (0300 500 0914) or online at Street Link.
This service aims to connect rough sleepers with appropriate services, both statutory and voluntary. Local resources for rough sleepers vary greatly across the country. They can include day centres, contact and assessment teams, soup kitchens and soup runs. Details of such resources can often be obtained by contacting local authorities.
Street assessment teams give rough sleepers information about available health care, night shelters and hostels, and other resources for homeless people. Some hostels and night shelters will only take referrals from a contact and assessment team worker. Some outreach teams will work with people on a long-term basis.
Information on over 9,000 services - hostels, day centres and other advice and support services for homeless people and those at risk of homelessness can be found at Homeless Link
Not sure which local authority area to choose? If you know a postcode you can check which local authority area here.
Suffolk County Council - Homelessness and Housing Support
You can get help from a support worker and other agencies to help solve your housing issues if you’re:
at risk of being evicted
behind with paying your rent or mortgage
struggling with budgeting, paying bills or finding it hard to manage your home
at risk of losing your home for any other reason
Homelessness and Prevention Support
You can use thepostcode checkeron GOV.UK if you’re not sure who to contact.
If you see someone who is homeless and needs support, useStreetLink to alert local services.
Someone who's under 18
If you need emergency accommodation call0808 800 4005to speak to Suffolk County Council Customer First or the Emergency Duty Team (evenings and weekends).
Emmaus Suffolk is a charity which works with vulnerable, socially isolated people and those at risk of homelessness across the county.
Our ambition is to introduce to Suffolk new ways of tackling entrenched homelessness, isolation and unemployment. We do this by enabling and empowering people to help themselves through meaningful activity that will benefit both themselves and others.
Our housing related support services help people to live independently, this can include people receiving support to set up and maintain their home, manage safety and security of their accommodation and support with health and wellbeing.
This service is for single persons aged 18 and over and sheltered accommodation services for the over 55’s, which are divided into categories and counties, please click below to find out more.
We want to end youth homelessness and we're tackling the problem locally by providing a safe home and support for up to 180 vulnerable young adults every night.
Each night we accommodate up to 180 vulnerable young people across Norfolk and Suffolk, equating to over 50,000 safe nights sleep a year for local young people. They can finally feel safe from youth homelessness.
We are proud to be the regional partner for the End Youth Homelessness campaign.
Give reassurances that there are lots of sources of support
If you are worried that this person is in crisis, please see section for Suicide Prevention
If no immediate risk take the following steps:
Encourage them to ring:
Samaritans - (All age groups)
Tel: 116 123, open 24 hours a day.
Papyrus - (Young people)
Tel: 0800 068 41 41
Text: 07786209697
Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org
Opening hours Mon-Fri: 10am-10pm, weekends: 2pm-10pm & bank holidays: 2pm-5pm
SELF CARE
Encourage the person to contact their GP. Their GP will be able support the person in many ways
Mind 'The charity for better mental health' has an extensive range of self help resources available
The NHS have has a range of self-help tools available
Andy's Man Club provides a weekly talking group, a place for men to come together in a safe environment to talk about issues/problems they be have faced or currently been facing. Meetings take place regularly in different locations across the region, where applicable these can be found in the local support and contact details section.
For Men -CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer accredited, confidential and free support to men anywhere in the UK through a helpline and web and webchat service. They talk through any issue with you and offer support, advice and signposting.
Quell - Free, safe and anonymous mental wellbeing support for adults across the UK
Kooth - is your online mental wellbeing community. Access free, safe and anonymous support, for 11-25 year olds
Every Mind Matters
‘Every Mind Matters’ is the first national mental health campaign from Public Health England
It’s an NHS-approved digital hub full of expert advice and practical tips to achieve good mental health
It also has a free NHS-approved online tool - ‘Your Mind Plan’ to help us:
Adults can self-refer to Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. IAPT is a national NHS programme, which offers evidence based psychological therapies or interventions approved by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). IAPT is primarily for treating people with mild to moderate mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
IAPT treatments are delivered via a stepped care model where patients are initially offered low intensity therapies, such as computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT) and guided self-help. If these treatments are unsuccessful, or not appropriate for individuals, higher intensity therapies are utilised and include one to one cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or interpersonal therapy (IPT). Please see local support and contact details for further information.
Support Services - Veterans
Veterans Combat Stress is the UK's leading mental health charity for veterans. They offer free, confidential 24-hour support to Service and ex-Service personnel who are experiencing mental health issues, including feeling suicidal.
The PANDAS Foundation is here to help support and advise any parent who is experiencing a perinatal mental illness. We are also here to inform and guide family members, carers, friends and employers as to how they can support someone who is suffering.
Tel: 0808 1961 776 (open 7 days a week, 11am - 10pm)
It is important that you take care of your own health, even if you are busy looking after someone else's health. Being healthy is not only important for you, but it also helps the person you care after too. The website contains some helpful guides on relationship management and information on self-care and respite care.
Children and Young People can contact the 'The Mix which is a leading support service that can help young people to take on any challenge they are facing - from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs.
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline, which parents/careers can call if they are worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. They also run a group called Parents Say, for parents whose children are accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Talk about the Five Ways to Wellbeing. The mental health equivalent to the dietary advice to have ‘5 a day’ fruit and vegetables for physical health.
1. Connect - With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community.
As being well connected is good for your mental wellbeing… Is there anything you could be doing more of?
Can you think of connections that you would like to make or remake?
2. Be Active - Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity that you enjoy; one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.
What activities do you engage in on a regular basis? How would I like to develop this?
Are there any minor adjustments you can make in your life that can help you to be more active?
3. Take Notice - Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are on a train, eating lunch or talking to friends.
How can you practice slowing down and pausing more often?
What difference will incorporating this into your daily life make?
4. Keep Learning - Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving.
What would you like to learn about? What interests you? What do you value? What would you find useful?
What do you need to do to make learning something you look forward to?
5. Give - Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in.
Do you notice what it’s like for you when you give to others?
What else could you give others that you hadn’t thought of before?
Wellbeing is important to us all. We want to feel good about ourselves, to get the most out of our lives and feel connected to other people. ‘Wellbeing’ means feeling more than just happy and confident, it means feeling able to cope when things get tough in our lives or when our physical health suffers.
Wellbeing Suffolk provide a range of support for people with common mental health and emotional issues, such as low mood, depression or stress. We work with you to help you make the necessary changes to improve your wellbeing and quality of life. Our services are free and are available for people aged 16 or over.
All of us have mental health, just as we have physical health. We are all on the mental health continuum – and we move up and down it depending on how we cope with the challenges of life and the stresses that it creates.
Suffolk Mind works across the continuum, from wellbeing to ‘severe and enduring’ mental ill-health, providing support & information for everyone.
To influence our services and products we use an ‘organising idea’: that we all have physical and emotional needs and a set of skills and resources that we’re born with to meet those needs. This is referred to as the Emotional Needs & Resources Model.
We have 12 physical and emotional needs, including attention, control, emotional connection, respect, food and drink, achievement, sleep, security, community, meaning and purpose, privacy, movement.
Children and Young People's Emotional Wellbeing Hub
The Emotional Wellbeing Hub provides information, advice, and guidance if you are worried about the mental health of a child or young person aged 0-25 years, or you're a young person experiencing emotional wellbeing difficulties.
We are trialling a new service with Barnardo's Barnardo’s are helping us to guide families and young people to emotional wellbeing support via a new phoneline service within the Emotional Wellbeing Hub as a way to try and help families get mental health support sooner.
Barnardo’s are helping to respond to families who contact the Hub looking for general wellbeing information and guidance to help address common emotional wellbeing issues in children and young people, such as anxiety, low mood or stess. Self-help resources to stay emotionally well, or signposting to support services.
The Hub service is only available to children and young people who live in East or West Suffolk. If you live in Lowesoft and Waveney contact the 'Just One' service. More information listed below.
ChatHealth is a service available to young people throughout Suffolk aged 11-19, which lets you text a Suffolk school nurse to ask for confidential help and advice on all kinds of health issues. Including:
Sexual health
Emotional health and wellbeing
Bullying
Healthy eating
Smoking, drugs and alcohol
Self harm
General health concerns
You can also use this text service to make an appointment with your school nurse.
You can Text a Suffolk school nurse confidentially on 07507 333356.
The service is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm, excluding bank holidays.
We aim to reply to you within one working day and you should get an immediate auto-reply message to confirm we received your text.
If you text the number out of these hours, you’ll get a ‘bounce–back’ message that explains where to get help, and a school nurse will get back to you the next working day.
Young Minds
We’re leading the fight for a future where all young minds are supported and empowered, whatever the challenges. We’re here to make sure they get the best possible mental health support and have the resilience to overcome life’s difficulties.
The crisis in children and young people’s mental health is real and it is urgent. More children and young people than ever before are reaching out for help with their mental health. But for those who take that brave step, help is much too hard to find.
Together, we are changing this. We’re fighting for young people’s mental health. Join our fight.
Our values
We value every voice – Every voice is important and needs to be listened to
We tell it as it is – We are always honest and straightforward
We’re all about impact – We work together to make a life-changing difference
Suffolk User Forum (SUF) is an independent mental health user led involvement, peer support and advocacy organisation. Listening and giving people a voice is central to our work. Our support is designed around people’s individual needs, choices, and what matters to them. We promote the mentoring value of lived experience through meaningful coproduction and intervention-based support.
We Provide:
Advocacy Together– helping people at a time of mental health crisis to have their voice heard through inpatient mental health, non-statutory, peer-led advocacy, and support for self-advocacy.
Healthy Together peer support– helping people living with severe mental illness (SMI) through peer support to achieve personal identified healthcare goals following annual SMI health checks.
Peer telephone support– providing support to increase people’s mental health and wellbeing, building self-confidence and resilience, promoting connection, communities and reducing isolation.
Making our Voice Count– gathering people’s feedback and enabling an active user voice in the commissioning and delivery of mental health services, facilitating coproduction, and influencing decision making, valuing lived experience as an essential resource for service improvement.
If you don't do anything, do something. if exercise didn’t involve a whole lot of self-motivation and actual physical activity, but instead came in a pill, it would be hailed immediately as “a wonder drug” such are the health benefits involved.
The Couch to 5k phone app has been designed to help get people off the couch and running in just 9 weeks.
The Active 10 phone app show you how how much brisk walking you do and helps to show you how you can fit a ten minute brisk walk into your day. It breaks this brisk walking down into manageable chunks of ten minutes and encourages at least one session every day (which equates to 70 minutes a week). Users can set their own goals and the app encourages people to progress up to 30 brisk minutes of walking per day, to meet the 150 minutes recommended by the Chief Medical Officer
Why not join a Parkrun in your local area? Did you know that one of the best things about Parkrun and Junior Park run is that you can run, or jog or walk entirely at your own pace. This makes it accessible for those who never could envisage running 2k or 5k and creates an environment where people feel welcome. For those who don’t wish to run, jog or walk there is always the opportunity to volunteer to support your local Parkrun. There is probably a Parkrun local to you…visit http://www.parkrun.org.uk/ for more information.
We are the Active Partnership for Suffolk, one of 43Active Partnershipsacross England.
Our aim is to develop the provision of sport and physical activity in Suffolk by working in conjunction with a wide range of partners, including local authorities, national governing bodies (NGB's), the education sector, the health sector, charitable/voluntary organisations and third sector organisations.
The Active Wellbeing Service is designed to support older adults (50+) who are currently inactive to find physical activity that suits their needs.
With the support of one of our Physical Activity Advisors, you will be able to discuss your motivations to get active, different options that are available locally to you and overcome any barriers, issues or concerns you might have. Our Advisors will help to find the right activity for you.
You will be signposted to physical activity opportunities available from home or in your local community which have been checked by our team to ensure they are safe and appropriate.
This service is currently available to patients of the following surgeries: Bildeston, Constable, Hadleigh, Holbrook & Shotley and Needham Market and to residents within the Whitton area of Ipswich.
Suffolk’s Most Active County Partnership is a collaboration of key organisations and agencies committed to positively impacting on physical activity levels in the county.
1- Addressing inequalities in sport and physical activity provision experienced by different sections of the community. Focus areas include activities or people with disabilities, cycling, older people, young people and walking.
2- Recognising that half the population are not active enough to maintain good health, MAC supports a universal offer to the community at large.
3- Maximising the economic impact for Suffolk from efforts to grow participation in sport and physical activity.
Provide the details in the Self-Care section below and offer support to help navigate and access the local services – most services have moved to initial contact via phone due to the pandemic, with some elements accessed online (see specific area for contact details/ websites).
The Sexual Health Helpline provides advice and information on all aspects of sexual health, call free on 0300 123 7123 (open from 9am-8pm, Monday-Friday and Saturday-Sunday 11am to 4pm). Calls will be treated with sensitivity and in strict confidence.
This website https://www.contraceptionchoices.org/ is designed to help people decide which method of contraception might suit them best and provides honest information on the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
We offer a range of services available to anyone who lives in the Suffolk area.
Our services are delivered in association with Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and Integrated Contraception and Sexual Health Services (iCaSH).
Our tests are available by post from the youngandfree.org website. Also on a walk-in basis, COVID permitting, with test results available in around seven to fourteen days.
Sexual health information and advice
We offer a range of sexual health information, including:
safe sex
contraception
sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
sexuality
signposting to relevant services.
Training
We offer free training for professionals and community groups in the following areas:
C-card and chlamydia screening training
introduction to sexual health
HIV awareness
LGBTQ+ awareness and guidence in education, employment and community
other training specifically for those working with young people.
We hold a weeklyiCaSH clinic, by appointment and drop-in, offering:
Condoms
Contraception (pills and patches)
Emergency contraception
Support and advice
Young people's drop-in
COVID permitting, we hold two young people's drop-in clinics a week, offering:
Free condoms for young people aged 13-24 on the c-card scheme
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea self-test
Support and advice around safe sex, contraception, STIs, sexuality and signposting to relevant services.
Our iCaSH (integrated Contraception and Sexual Health) service provides all aspects of sexual and reproductive health, including family planning, contraception, sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV testing and treatment.
Most GPs provide contraceptive services including the Contraceptive Pill, Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) such as the coil or implants. GPs can also provide Emergency Hormone Contraception (EHC) for episodes of unprotected sexual activity. GPs also screen for chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted disease, for those aged under 25.
Most pharmacies provide free Emergency Hormone Contraception (EHC) and also screen for chlamydia for those aged under 25.
Call the free Smokefree National Helpline to speak to a trained, expert adviser on 0300 123 1044. All lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm*.
Smokefree has lots of free support this includes a smartphone app, email programme or text messages that will keep you focused wherever you are.
You can also speak to your doctor, pharmacy team or local Stop Smoking Service for expert advice on stop smoking medicines.
SELF CARE
Download the NHS Smokefree app from itunes or google play
Get further information from the National Health Service www.nhs.uk/quit
Consider using e-cigarettes to stop smoking
Millions have used Smokefree support to help them stop smoking. Choose from an app, email, SMS and face-to-face guidance.
Emphasise that quitting will the best thing they will ever do and the NHS Smokefree service can provide the friendly and helpful support they need to quit for good
Although most people need some kind of social contact to maintain good mental health, everyone has different social needs. The person may be someone who is content with a few close friends, or they may need a large group of varied acquaintances to feel satisfied.
State that the simplest way to ease feelings of loneliness can be to try to meet more, or different, people.
Can they think of anything they are interested in, a class or a group they have heard of, that could help connect them with new people? SeeUseful contacts for ideas of how to find groups. The Red Cross Connecting Communities team can help you connect with your local community and meet new friends.
Volunteering is a good way of meeting people. Helping others can also really help improve mental health. See Mind's Useful contacts - Mindfor organisations that can help someone find local volunteering opportunities.
The Silver Line is the only free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Call 0800 470 8090. The Silver Line can also put you in contact with community activities in your local area
Age UK has a befriending service to support loneliness in later life, this is where a volunteer visits an older person once a week in their own home. There is also telephone befriending Telephone befriending, where a volunteer befriender will phone an older person.
https://www.reengage.org.uk/ Re-engage works with people aged 75 and over who live alone; those who are especially vulnerable to loneliness. Call our freephone number0800 716 543Emailinfo@reengage.org.uk
NHS Choices has a range of advice on Loneliness including volunteering, continuing education and how to engage with social media and computers.
Loneliness in Younger People
It is recognised that loneliness is not something that is exclusive to older adult, indeed many younger adults in particular can experience loneliness and a recent report from the Office for National Statistics highlighted Britain as the loneliness capital of Europe.
Whilst on the outside young people can be very well connected on social media, if this replaces face-to-face contact then it can add to a feeling of loneliness. Some people also present an idealised version of themselves online and we expect to have social lives like those portrayed in the media.
Helplines can reduce loneliness, at least in the short term
The Samaritans are available around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This number is FREE to call on 116 123
There are also support services onwebsites such as Mind'sthat can remind you you're not alone.
It doesn’t really matter who you talk to first. Some ideas would include: a friend, family member, anonymous listening service like Nightline or the Samaritans, student union welfare rep, personal tutor, students support services staff member, counsellor, or doctor. Decide who is the best person for you to talk to first. Be realistic about what each person can offer. If it doesn’t work out, try someone else. Talk to more than one person.
Emmaus Suffolk is a charity which works with vulnerable, socially isolated people and those at risk of homelessness across the county.
Our ambition is to introduce to Suffolk new ways of tackling entrenched homelessness, isolation and unemployment. We do this by enabling and empowering people to help themselves through meaningful activity that will benefit both themselves and others.
We support people who may be homeless, vulnerable and suffering from social exclusion. We believe that everyone, irrespective of their background and circumstance, is entitled to live in a decent home, enjoy positive and rewarding relationships with others, engage in meaningful activities and achieve their maximum potential. We work with hundreds of vulnerable and disadvantaged clients in our communities, providing supported housing units, information advice and guidance services, drop-in centres, education and training facilities that include working with schools and youth-led projects including minority groups such as the LGBT+ community. Access CT also offers an employment mentoring recruitment service and a dual diagnosis mental health service, alongside a growing number of social enterprise cafes throughout Suffolk and Norfolk.
Do you think the person would benefit from some further support to reduce their drinking and / or drug taking to lower risk levels? You can make the following recommendations:
Suggest they speak to their GP or a loved one
Pass on details of national organisations, such as those listed below:
National Support
ALCOHOL
Drinkline
Drinkline provides free, confidential, accurate and consistent information and advice to callers who are concerned about their own or someone else's drinking.
Drink Free Days app - If the person has a smartphone they can download the Better Health Drink Free Days app designed to make it easy to keep an eye on alcohol consumption and take control with daily tips and feedback. Drink less - Better Health - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Alcoholics Anonymous
Call the free helpline 0800 9177 650
Email help@aamail.org or use the live chat function on their website
A non-profit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a problem. They are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. There is only ONE requirement for membership, the desire to stop using.
Suffolk Recovery Network is the integrated substance misuse service for the county. We work with anyone who is affected by drugs or alcohol and wants support to make change. We offer a variety of treatment options and will support you to find the right treatment for you.
Regardless of your age, we have a service which will meet your needs. For young people up to their 25th birthday, the dedicated youth team will work one to one with you in an agreed suitable location.
Our team includes recovery workers, support workers, peer mentors, volunteers, doctors, nurses and psychologists. There are lots of different people who can offer their support, knowledge and encouragement to help you achieve your recovery.
We also work closely with our partners Iceni and Suffolk Family Carers to offer a wide range of support for families in Ipswich and carers.
Iceni exists to offer care and support to families in Ipswich and the surrounding area who are affected by addiction, and to provide such families with the help they need to improve opportunities for children in fulfilling their potential.
It aims to reduce the number of children being taken into care and to promote awareness within the local community and beyond to highlight these issues.
We offer:
Counselling, acupuncture, family therapy, play therapy, couples counselling, the freedom programme, triple p parenting programme, the Venta Programme, ‘My stronger self’ group, the ‘REALationships’ group.
The Substance Misuse team at Suffolk Family Carers provide specialised help to those who are supporting someone with a substance misuse issue.
When supporting a family member with an addiction to alcohol or other drugs it is paramount that you take care of your own wellbeing. It is often a balancing act of providing support to a loved one, while at the same time not losing sight of what you need, to be happy and healthy.
Working in partnership with Turning Point and Iceni, we offer a FREE and confidential service for families and friends affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use in Suffolk.
Our team can offer you one to one support sessions, ensuring you are supported and have access to credible information, support and guidance. We can support you in various ways looking at areas such as;
Helping you to consider and implement healthy boundaries
Providing education on approaches to supporting someone with an addiction
Consider approaches to recovery for the person you care for
Identify ways to increase your wellbeing
Access professional help and other support
Supporting you to stay safe
Our ‘Navigating the Road to Recovery’ programme enables you to access information and advice and provides opportunities to form peer support with those in similar circumstances. It is a positive opportunity to meet others in a similar situation, share viewpoints and discuss different strategies.
These programmes are evaluated to have a positive impact on family carers’ lives. We support people to explore difficult issues such as controlling and enabling, manipulation, social isolation.
We hold regular support sessions at Turning Point Ipswich, Bury St. Edmunds and Lowestoft, to help guide you with the challenges of having a drug or alcohol user in your family.
If you’re worried that someone is at immediate risk of taking their own life then phone 999, you should stay with that person until help arrives. Do not put your own safety at risk by getting physically involved.
If no immediate risk take the following steps:
Encourage them to ring:
Samaritans - (All age groups)
Tel: 116 123, open 24 hours a day.
Papyrus - (Young people)
Tel: 0800 068 41 41
Text: 07860 039967
Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org
Open 9am - midnight every day
Other options include:
contact their GP for an emergency appointment or call the out of hours service.
call their Mental Health worker, if they have one.
call their social worker or key worker, if they have one
encourage to re-engage with mental health services if already engaged
If they don’t want help, don’t push them. Sometimes it’s easy to want to try and fix a person’s problems, or give them advice but try and at least leave a couple of key telephone numbers with them for Samaritans any local support numbers for their area (Crisis teams etc).
It’s usually better for people to make their own decisions. Help them think of all the options, but leave the choice to them.
A person may not be suicidal but you may still be concerned
Encourage them to contact their GP, they will be familiar with their medical history and will be able to direct them appropriately which may include a referral to IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). IAPT teams are skilled in helping people 18 years old and older overcome emotional and mental difficulties like:
All the local IAPT services are listed under the 'Mental Health' section of MECC Link and can be found within the 'local support and contact details' section.
SELF CARE
Hub of Hope - Postcode based directory of services
Mind 'The charity for better mental health' has an extensive range of self help resources available
TheNHS has has a range of self-help tools available
Andy's Man Clubprovides weekly groups, a place for men to come together in a safe environment to talk about issues/problems they have faced or are currently facing. There's a search function to find your nearest group.
If someone has seriously harmed themselves dial 999 immediately or take them to the nearest A&E department.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can contact any of the free helplines below:
NHS 111 Option 2
A 24-hour service for people aged 18 and over who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
Phone: 111 and select Option 2
Suffolk County Council - Support against Suicide
Follow website to find a variety of support systems. Whether this is to support someone who may feel suicidal, or whether it is yourself who has been affected by suicide. Support is available to help everyone emotionally and with practical manners.
Anyone can feel suicidal. So we need to be there for everyone. From advice on our website about issues you might be facing; through to free, confidential chats with our helpline staff, online or on the phone, we’re here for anyone who’s struggling, every single day of the year. No matter what.
Our helpline and webchat are open 365 days a year, offering practical suggestions for all of life’s problems - whether that’s anxiety, relationship concerns, health worries, money worries or suicidal thoughts. Our staff answer a call every 66 seconds - they listen, talk and help people struggling with life to make a plan so they can begin to look to the future.
