Lambeth Country Show

Spot the Lambeth Health and Wellbeing Bus Competition

Did you know that Lambeth has a health and wellbeing bus? Have you seen it?

Our health and wellbeing bus launched last month with the aim to ultimately offer a wide range of health improvement services, information, advice and guidance. It’s just getting up and running and the first services on offer are covid-19 testing, information, advice and guidance on vaccination and, for over 40s AstraZeneca vaccination.

Lambeth’s Health and Wellbeing Bus – Coming to an area new you

Visit Lambeth’s Health and Wellbeing Bus to find out more about covid vaccinations and testing and share your ideas on other health and wellbeing services you’d like to see onboard. It’s a converted bus offering COVID vaccines, tests and the opportunity to talk to a wellbeing ambassador.

The bus is currently offering vaccinations for people aged 40+ no appointment needed. No proof of address, NHS number or immigration status required.

We are encouraging Lambeth residents to visit the bus to find out more about vaccination, testing and to get your feedback on other services you would like to see delivered through a mobile health and wellbeing offer.

Spot the Lambeth Health and Wellbeing bus’ for a chance to win £50 of local vouchers!

To enter the prize draw, all you have to do is:

– Take a picture of yourself with the bus between 12 – 18 July and

– Scan the QR code to send it to Lambeth’s Public Health Team email: publichealth@lambeth.gov.uk

– For upcoming bus locations, visit: www.selondo nccg.nhs.uk/popupclinics

Entries must be submitted by Sunday 18 July 2021. The winner will be selected at random and contacted by email by the end of July.

Key messages and useful information

Go to our Lambeth council website for the latest on:

Latest general information on covid and testing in Lambeth –https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19
Latest stats in the borough – https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/covid-19-stats
Our ‘COVID Resources Hub’ resources page for the latest update COVID-19 posters, leaflets and general information which you can download directly – https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/resources
Sign up here to receive an alert for when new information is published.

Testing

We are asking and strongly encouraging everyone who lives in Lambeth to take a PCR test, due to a rise in cases of the Delta variant.

We particularly encourage getting tested if you are in Brixton, Clapham, Stockwell, Vauxhall or West Norwood.

Go to a local testing site to get tested or take tests home.

Life getting back to normal

As restrictions start to be eased, it’s important that we can get back to doing the things we like in a safe way.

In Lambeth there are a range of ways that people can keep each other safe from the coronavirus, be supported to self-isolate and easily receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

Vaccination and weekly rapid testing are still key. Vaccine walk-in clinics are open to people 18+ across the borough. https://selondonccg.nhs.uk/what-we-do/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine/pop-up-clinics/

Free rapid tests are available all over Lambeth https://beta.lambeth.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/get-coronavirus-test

People in south east London said they had questions about the Covid vaccine. Find answers here to common questions and what happened when local people had the jab. https://www.nhsvaccinefacts.com/

Here are some more useful information links:

– https://www.nhsvaccinefacts.com/information/how-were-the-covid-19-vaccines-made-so-quickly

– https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000x2tf/horizon-2021-1-horizon-special-the-vaccine

– https://www.nhsvaccinefacts.com/information/do-i-need-to-take-the-covid-vaccine-if-im-young-or-healthy

Looking after yourself

Improving your health start with little changes. Whether you want to lose weight, get active or quit smoking, there has never been a more important time to kickstart your health. The pandemic has had a huge impact on all of us – whether that is becoming less active during the lockdowns, experiencing social isolation, drinking more alcohol or by suffering directly with COVID-19. It is more important than ever to look after our physical health and wellbeing to protect against the risk of COVID-19 and other diseases.

Your physical health has a big impact on how you feel emotionally and mentally. At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour, which in turn, can make you feel worse. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep and exercise regularly.

Being active

Being active isn’t just about going to the gym or doing competitive sport. It can include activities that are part of our everyday life, including:

– Walking

– Cycling

– Dancing

– Gardening

There are also a range of facilities now open in Lambeth, including gyms, sports pitches and swimming pools, which you can safely access to look after your health. For more information, advice and signposting to local options please visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/your-health

The NHS Fitness Studio provides free, easy 10-minute workouts and other exercise videos to try at home.

Benefits of physical activity

Being physically active is important for keeping a healthy body and mind at every stage of life.

Being active reduces the risk of developing many diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. It also improves mental health, sleep, concentration and mood.

Being active is about personal fulfilment, having fun and connecting with others. It can also help to address a range of social issues, including:

– community inclusion

– crime reduction

– skill development.

It is recommended that you do at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, five days a week, and two 30-minute strengthening sessions.

Mental Wellbeing

Having good mental health allows us to realise our potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to our communities.

The pandemic is having a major effect on all our lives and many of us are facing challenges that can be stressful, overwhelming, and cause strong emotions.

For this reason, it’s more important than ever to look after our mental and emotional wellbeing.

‘Five ways wellbeing messages’ gives us tips that can help us.

Connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home at work, school or your local community. Invest by spend time developing these relationships. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.

Give – even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word for a friend or a stranger. See your happiness as linked to the wider community. Things like volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing, be rewarding and help you build new social networks.

Take notice – be more aware of the present moment, be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Savour the moment – whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling – reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. Some people call this awareness “mindfulness”. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

Keep learning – try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike or cook your favourite food. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.

Be active – you don’t have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Garden. Dance. Cycle. Exercising makes us feel good. Find an activity that you enjoy which suits your fitness level and make it a part of your life.

Below are some useful resources:

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/

https://www.wheelofwellbeing.org/

https://www.lambethcollaborative.org.uk/mental-health-support-in-lambeth-3

https://www.thewellcentre.org/

Stop smoking self-help resources

Smoking is the UK’s single greatest cause of preventable illness and avoidable death. Around 100,000 people die each year from smoking-related diseases, including cancer.

Quitting smoking is one of the best things that you can do for your health and the health of your family. Quitting helps protect your loved ones from harmful second-hand smoke, reducing their risk of developing asthma, meningitis and some cancers.

COVID-19 can affect the lungs and airways. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been smoking, but stopping now will be great for your long-term health. You’ll also see immediate health benefits.

It often takes more than one attempt to quit smoking.

– NHS Better Health has advice about how to stop smoking.

– NHS Smoke Free has information and advice about using e-cigarettes (vapes).

– Lambeth Stop Smoking service

Are you ready to stop smoking? (.pdf)

Weight Management Service

If you’re overweight, losing weight has many health benefits. Making small, simple changes to what and how much you are eating and drinking and how much exercise you do can help you achieve a healthier weight.

Why should I lose weight?

Gaining weight is often a gradual process – it happens over the years as a result of modern-day life and the odd unhealthy habit.

If you are overweight or living with obesity, lowering your weight can help reduce your risk of developing serious diseases.

Extra weight causes fat to build up around vital organs, making it harder for the body to fight against diseases like cancer, heart disease and now COVID-19. We know that excess weight can increase the risk of serious illness with COVID-19. If you are registered with a Lambeth GP, you can ask for a referral to a Lambeth weight management service Thomas’ NHS Trust.

You will be assessed on whether the programme is right for you based on:

– your body mass index (BMI)

– any long-term health conditions, such as diabetes

– your motivation to change

– your motivation to stick to the plan to find your healthy weight.

For more information, please visit the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS website.

Other resources to help you manage your weight are available

– Start the NHS weight loss plan – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

– Lose weight – Better Health – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Blood Pressure - NHS Health Checks

We know that our risk of developing preventable problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease or dementia increases with age. Health checks are all about diagnosing these problems as early as possible and encouraging those at a higher-risk to take action.

Why do I need a health check?

Your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, a stroke, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease increases with age. This is why we want to emphasise to absolutely everyone aged 40-74 how important it is to have a health check.

Health checks are free and we will work with you to lower your chances of developing dangerous health problems in the future. It doesn’t matter if you feel well, it is worth having a health check just to be sure. This is particularly important now as we know that serious long term conditions can exacerbate the effects of COVID-19.

At each health check, specialists will recommend some steps that can be taken by you to maintain or improve your health.

Who can have a free health check?

If you are a Lambeth resident and/or are registered with a Lambeth GP and you meet the criteria below, you can book an NHS health check at your GP practice. You must:

– be between 40-75 years old

– have not already been diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or had a stroke

– have not had an NHS health check in the last five years.

Lambeth Summer of Food and Fun!

Lambeth Council is delighted to be hosting its Summer of Food and Fun Programme from 26 July to 27 August 2021.

This year we are partnering with 84 holiday club providers across the borough to provide an exciting programme of activities, such as sports, drama, art, photography, dance, and media skills, as well as nutritious meals for children and young people in our local communities.

The programme is designed to give local families access to healthy food and fun activities over the school summer holidays. Free places are available for children between the ages of 4 and 16 years, who are eligible for Free School Meals.

The programme will include:

– Free, healthy, nutritious, and tasty food

– Fun physical activity sessions

– A wide range of other activities to suit different ages and personalities

– Opportunities to learn more about food and nutrition for children and families

Additional information including registration details will be advertised on the Lambeth council website: lambeth.gov.uk/summer from Friday 9 July 2021.

Are you eligible for Healthy Start Vouchers?

Do you have a child under four, or are you pregnant? Are you on benefits and tax credits? Or pregnant and under 18?

Healthy Start is a national scheme aimed at improving the health of pregnant women and families on income-based benefits. Pregnant women and children ages 1-4yrs receive a £4.25 voucher per week. Babies under one receive two vouchers per week. The vouchers can be used to pay for a range of healthy foods such as milk, fruit, and vegetables. They are accepted by all high street supermarkets, as well as some smaller retailers.

Families in receipt of Healthy Start vouchers will also receive vitamin vouchers.

How to apply:

The application form is available at www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply, or you can ask for a printed application form at your local library or Children’s Centre.