Self-Help Resources & Information

Please explore these pages for information on a range of topics. You will find links to medical, social and community information. Improving knowledge and enabling self-management of a range of issues.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Local Community Groups

Carer Information

Screening

Lifestyle

Chronic Conditions

Common Ailments Self-Help

Future Planning

Women’s Health

Spirometry

Parent and Guardian Information

Safeguarding

Local Community Groups

Local Area Coordinators help anyone to build relationships within their community. Please see Ronan Ruddy’s flyer (Gorseinon’s Local Area Coordinator) for more information on the support and pop-up cafes available in the area.

The Local Area Coordinators support older people, disabled people, people with mental health problems and their family and carers to feels safer and more confident in the future and to stay strong and connected.

Gorseinon’s Pop-Up Community

Community Transport Car Scheme

Promoting community, activity, social inclusion, community cohesion, regeneration, health and well-being.

People are eligible to use the scheme if they are elderly or have restricted mobility, and cannot make the journey by any other means.

(01792) 899933 | [email protected]

https://www.swansea.gov.uk/carschemes

Carer Information

Please let us know if you area a carer by completing the form (via the button below) and returning it to us at reception, by post or via email. This form is also available at the surgery reception.

Carer information

Swansea Carers Centre provides support and information to carers. YMCA Swansea Young Carers Service provides support and information for young carers aged 8-18 in Swansea. For further information please see the website.

Adferiad provides support to those with ill-mental health and their carers by giving emotional support, advice and signposting. We hold support groups, such as our walking and carer group, one to one support in the community, drop-in sessions and support over the phone. Visit the Adferiad website for referral information and contact details.

Screening:

Public Health Wales delivers the following population based national screening programmes across Wales:

Cervical screening Wales
Breast test Wales
Bowel screening Wales
Wales Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme
Diabetic Eye Screening Wales
Newborn Bloodspot Screening Wales
Antenatal Screening Wales
Newborn Hearing Screening Wales

Please find further information regarding these screening programmes here. Public Health Wales will contact eligible people directly to offer screening tests when they are due.

Chronic Conditions Information:

If you are living with a chronic health condition this can have a huge impact both mentally and physically on you and those close to you. Education and understanding is extremely important. Please find some helpful links and information within this section.

Dementia

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/about/

https://www.dementia.com/

There are a number of agencies throughout Swansea providing support and activities to help people living with dementia and their carers. Please see the following links for additional information:

The SCVS (Swansea Council for Voluntary Service) Dementia and Carer Project provides people living with dementia, and their carers, an opportunity to engage socially in the community, access community resources with the support of a volunteer; as well as reducing isolation and offering a listening ear to those it supports.

The Forget Me Not Dementia Day Clubs are run by volunteers, and people living with dementia are welcome to attend along with a carer. In Gorseinon the group is run at New Lodge on Wednesdays 10am-1pm.

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk

For information on local clubs and groups including ‘Forget Me Not Clubs’, ‘Musical Memories Choir’ and ‘Sporting memories’ there is contact information via Dementia Friendly Swansea – Dementia Care Help, Advice. https://www.dementiafriendlyswansea.org/social/

Chronic Pain

Swansea Bay University Health Board has developed Improving life with long-term pain webpages. These pages are aimed at helping people manage their long term pain by offering access to information about a range of holistic support, enabling people to live their lives to the fullest.

Here is a 5 minute BBC video about chronic pain called ‘What’s the point of pain?’

Asthma

https://www.asthma.org.uk/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma/

If you are experiencing symptoms suggestive of a possible respiratory condition a doctor or nurse may suggest you attend for a Spirometry test to assess your lung function. For information on this test and what it involves please read our leaflet

Pocket medic short films: http://pocketmedic.org/

Education Programme for Patients (EPP)

Nobody knows yourself better than you do. So it makes sense that the same will be true when it comes to managing your health condition, or caring situation.

EPP Self-Management programmes compliments the care you get from the NHS, by giving you the ability to manage your health condition. The programmes have been shown to enable patients to take control of their health and wellbeing by learning a set of tried and tested techniques. These increase confidence and the ability and belief to cope and manage health conditions. These all lead to an improved quality of life.

Swansea Bay University Health Board has a number of structured courses available for self-referral. Topics covered include:-

Introduction to health and wellbeing
Six week health and wellbeing course
Cancer thriving and surviving ourse
Diabetes self-management course
Chronic pain self-management course
Managing long term conditions at work
Caring for me and you

Hypertension

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/living-with-a-liver-condition/liver-conditions/non-alcohol-related-fatty-liver-disease/

Osteoarthritis

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoarthritis/

Osteoporosis

https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/

Rheumatoid Arthritis

https://www.nras.org.uk/the-inflammatory -arthritis-patient-information-pathway

Stroke

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/conditions/stroke

Common Ailments Self-Help:

Common ailments can often be managed by yourself at home sometimes requiring medicines available over the counter from your local pharmacy or supermarket. Please see the following links to NHS information about some common mild conditions.

Future Planning:

Advance care planning (ACP) is the term used to describe the conversation between people, their families and carers and those looking after them about their future wishes and priorities for care.

The aim is to support adults at any stage of health in understanding and sharing their personal values, life goals and preferences regarding future medical care.

ACP now involves consideration of three possible decisions:

Advance statements.
Advance decision to refuse treatment.
Lasting power of attorney

Further information can be found on the links below:

Dying Matters is an organisation aimed to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.

“Sharing and Involving” – Information for patients and their carers to help make decisions about CPR (cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)

Information on Advance Decisions (Living Wills)

Information on Power of Attorney

Women’s Health:

Contraception

For clear information on the different methods of contraception please read the information available from the Family Planning Association.

Which method is right for me? https://www.sexwise.fpa.org.uk/contraception/which-method-contraception-right-me

Long-acting, reversible contraception (such as the implant and injection): https://www.sexwise.fpa.org.uk/contraception/long-acting-reversible-contraception-larc

Or for information on continuous pill taking – please see our advice leaflet.

Planning a Pregnancy

NHS pregnancy and baby guide: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/planning-pregnancy/

Or access more pregnancy guides here: https://www.sexwise.fpa.org.uk/planning-pregnancy

Menopause

Menopause Matters provides up-to-date, accurate information about the menopause, menopausal symptoms and treatment options: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/

The Menopause Exchange gives independent advice about the menopause, midlife and post-menopausal health. https://menopause-exchange.co.uk/

Unplanned Pregnancy

For information and advice, click here.

Or visit: https://www.sexwise.fpa.org.uk/unplanned-pregnancy

Information for Parents and Guardians:

Infant Crying

ICON is a programme that provides information about infant crying and how to cope. The website may provide information that you or parents you know may find useful: https://iconcope.org/

Sleep and Night Time Care

For parents who wish to make information choices about infant-sleep and night time care: BASIS – Baby Sleep Information Source (basisonline.org.uk)

Family Breakdown

Two Wishes is a non-profit international organisation dedicated to the wellbeing of children and families and to reimagining family breakdown, for the sake of our kids.

The primary focus is to protect children exposed to family breakdown by building healthier families and transforming how we all think about, and deal with, family breakdown, separation and divorce.

The relationships that children develop with their parents and other carers are critical to their future wellbeing.

Two Wishes – Healthy families. For life.

Safeguarding:

Reporting a Concern

Has the baby you are caring for been identified as having a bruise or mark requiring further investigation? Report a concern via the West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board: http://www.wgsb.wales/21942

Safe Havens

All Fire Stations in Mid and West Wales are safe havens:

Gorseinon Fire Station, West Street, Gorseinon, Swansea, SA4 4AG
Morriston Fire Station, Sway Road, Morriston, Swansea, SA6 6JA
Pontardulais Fire Station, 5 Tyn-y-Bonau Road, Pontardulais, Swansea, SA4 8RS
Reynoldston Fire Station, St. George’s Terrace, Reynoldston, Swansea, SA3 1AB
Swansea Central Fire Station, The Strand, Swansea, SA1 2AW
Swansea West Fire Station, Sketty Lane, Swansea, SA2 8QF

Family Breakdown

Two Wishes is a non-profit international organisation dedicated to the wellbeing of children and families and to reimagining family breakdown, for the sake of our kids. The primary focus is to protect children exposed to family breakdown by building healthier families and transforming how we all think about, and deal with, family breakdown, separation and divorce. The relationships that children develop with their parents and other carers are critical to their future wellbeing. www.twowishes.org/