Physical health directory for professionals

Contents

• Disability services
• Drug and alcohol services

If you are a professional worker and you support children or young people in Plymouth, then you may find the following physical health links and resources useful.

Disability services

The Community Health and Support Unit has qualified learning disability community nurses and support workers who can help you gain better health and keep yourself well.

The Feelings Team help people with learning disabilities who are feeling distressed. 

This could be because something really bad has happened, such as someone has died, has been abused or the person has a mental illness.

Friends and Families of Special Children are a non-profit organisation unique to Plymouth, providing information, support and services for families with disabled children, many of whom describe us as a lifesaver. Our services give families opportunities to network and create bespoke training and educational environments. We offer individual family support and give advice on relevant issues.

We run social and leisure events allowing, a 'time-out to have fun' away from the stresses and punishing regime of caring. This allows a vital 'recharge of batteries', relieving isolation and time for young carers to have fun. Integrated activities enable children with disabilities opportunities to experience a huge diversity of sports, arts, crafts and music not elsewhere available to them or their families.

Improving Lives Plymouth runs information, advice and support services for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. 

We currently have 50 paid staff and over 80 volunteers across our services. 

Occupational Therapists help people to manage better in their day-to-day life.

 This may be helping people to:

• learn practical skills to do everyday things
• become more confident and get on better with others
• work out the best way to do things to be more independent

The Lending Library provides a toy and equipment lending library that creates opportunities for families to play and interact together, as well as providing access to expensive specialist equipment. 

Toys, by their nature, are often short-lived items with a limited lifespan of interest. Our Lending Library will enable your child to have access to a greater variety of play and practical resources, consequently allowing more stimulating opportunities.

Plymouth Information, Advice and Support for SEND (PIAS) provides information, advice and support relating to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for parents, carers, children and young people within the Plymouth Local Authority area.

PIAS provides parents, and carers of children and young people with SEND and also the children and young people independently with:

• support at meetings
• support around education and training issues

Drug and Alcohol Services

Al-Anon Family Groups provide support for anyone whose life is or has been affected by someone else's drinking.

Regardless of your relationship with the drinker, you will meet others who have similar stories to tell. You will realise that you are not alone. Listening to the shared experiences of others may help you find the confidence you need to deal with the effects of someone else's drinking. You will find it is possible to rediscover happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.

Alcoholics Anonymous provides support if you have, or think you have, a problem with alcohol. Free national helpline and local meetings.

FRANK provides honest information about drugs, including support if you are concerned about a child or friend, dealing with peer pressure, and what to do in an emergency.

Hamoaze House provides day-rehabilitation facilities for people in the community affected by problematic use of drugs and/or alcohol and for their families and associated people. 

Our youth programme, based in Seymour House, provides alternative education for young people who have struggled to engage with the mainstream education system. We provide a service that has the capability to engage young people throughout the term, across the whole academic year. We deliver a targeted set of positive activities, workshops, and informal social education experiences that will engage young people on all levels (emotional, physical, and intellectual), helping them to empower themselves as individuals with the capacity to make both positive contributions to their communities and to enjoy and achieve within their own lives.

Harbour's alcohol service is for adults who wish to make changes to their alcohol use by reducing the harm or working towards becoming alcohol-free.
Support can include information, advice as well as structured interventions and detox.

Harbour Community Access Safer Injecting Service can provide:

• Confidential information or advice regarding IV drug use and the impact on physical/mental health
• Overdose avoidance and management information/advice
• Free supplies of injecting equipment (also available from some pharmacies in Plymouth)
• Safe disposal of used injecting equipment
• Access to a specialist Blood Borne Virus nurse
• Access to Blood Borne Virus testing and vaccination services
• Referral to Hepatology services

Harbour Young People's Service offers help and support to people up to age 18 who may be experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, harm because of their substance use.

This can include information and advice for young people and their families as well as practical support such as prescribing and needle exchange.

Jasmine Mother's Recovery is a residential rehabilitation unit offering treatment to women with alcohol and/or drug-related problems. 

Support includes detox and a structured rehabilitation programme mixed with flexible residential programmes arranged to facilitate the transition to an independent life, free from substance dependency. Residents are able to live at Trevi with their children.

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics provides free, confidential advice and support for anyone affected by their parent's drinking.

There are various throughout the city.  You can search for GPs, dentists, opticians, pharmacies and hospitals online.

Continue reading

• Directory of services for professionals supporting children, young people and their families
• Early years and education
• Parenting and behavioural support
• Mental health support
• Physical health support
• Money and housing support
• Relationship support
• Support group support
• Targeted support
• Work and benefit support

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