Managing your Health for Young People with SEND
In this section you will find Annual Health Checks, Substance Misuse, Sexual Health, Eye Tests, Carers, Disabled Toilet Facilities & more.
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Taking care of your health is an important part of adulthood.
Annual Health Checks
Anyone aged 14 or over who is on their GP's learning disability register can have a free health check once a year. An annual health check helps you stay well by finding any problems early, so you get the right care. To arrange an Annual Health Check call your GP surgery.
For more information about annual health checks, visit the NHS website [External Link].
Find an easy-read guide to annual health checks [External Link].
For queries regarding Annual Health Checks, please contact Carly Dalton, Clinical Champion for Learning Disabilities. carly.dalton@nhs.net
The Learning Disability Register -
Check with your GP practice if you or the person you care for is on the register. You can ask to go on the learning disability register if you think you have a learning disability. You do not need to be diagnosed with a learning disability to be on the register. It is a good way to get to know your doctor better, and for them to find out more about you so they can treat you properly if you get ill.
If you are not on the disability register and you think you should be, you could make an appointment to do this or write them a brief letter explaining why. Find out more about the learning disability register [External Link].
Guidance on substance misuse, relationships and mental health
The Getting it on website is specifically for teenagers in South West London. It includes lots of useful information and services for 13-19 year olds on sexual and mental health issues, drugs and alcohol and relationships. Visit the Getting it on website [External Link].
Young people's sexual health
Check It Out are a team of nurses and health advisers with specialist skills in working with young people. The team provides young people's clinics, outreach and one-to-one support to young people around their relationships and sexual health. Check It Out take referrals from both young people and professionals, with the young person's consent.
You can contact the team on 020 8296 3910. The referral form and clinic times can be found here [External Link].
**Easy Eye Tests - Eye tests for people with learning disabilities **
It is important that adults should have an eye test every two years or more often and children should have an eye test every year. Everyone can have a sight test, with the right support. An eye test helps someone to have healthy eyes and to see well.
Some opticians are accredited to provide the Easy Eye Care service, which is a specialist eye care service for people with learning disabilities and autistic people of all ages, who are registered with their GP. Local Easy Eye Care clinics can be found on the SeeAbility website [External Link].
Carers [SEND]
Are you under 18 and looking after someone in your family who is ill or disabled? This may be a parent, a brother or sister or a grandparent. Maybe you help by staying at home a lot to be there for them, helping them get washed or dressed, perhaps translating and interpreting for them, or doing lots of cleaning, shopping and cooking.
If this sounds like you, then you are a young carer. Being a carer means you have a right to help and support to make life easier. Learn more about support for young carers on the LBS website [External Link].
If you're over 18 and caring for an adult, you can get a carer's assessment. The assessment will see if you need support to carry on your caring role. Read more about the carer's assessment on the LBS website [External Link].
Disabled Toilet Facilities for Young People with SEND
Changing Places toilets for disabled people are different to standard disabled toilets with extra features such as a hoist and/or adjustable changing table and more space to meet these needs. Each Changing Places toilet provides the right equipment, enough space and a safe and clean environment.
You may require a 'Radar' Key to access the toilet, each venue has its own arrangements for security so it is worth checking before you travel. Visit the Changing Places website to find a disabled toilet [External Link]. Radar keys are part of the The National Key Scheme (NKS) which offers disabled people access to over 9000 locked public toilets across the UK. Find out how to purchase a radar key for a small charge [External Link].
Sport and Leisure clubs for Young People with SEND
Sutton benefits from having 4 main leisure centres which are maintained by Sports Leisure Management Ltd (SLM) under the 'Everyone Active' brand.