Looking after your health Melanie Blair, Senior Community Nurse Bromley Learning Disability Team

About the Bromley Adult Learning Disability Team My name is Melanie. I am a nurse and I work for Bromley Learning Disability Team. The Bromley team help people with learning disabilities to keep well and feel ok.

Getting help for your physical health If you have physical health problems you can see the Adult Complex Care Team You can talk about the care you need. You can get help for any other problems you may have. You can contact the Early Intervention Team They are based at the Civic Centre in Bromley

How the learning disability nurses help you? The nurses will talk to you to find out what is making you unwell. write a care plan with you . This will be using simple words and pictures if it helps you. Check your health like blood pressure, weight and height. The nurses hope to start the ‘Good Health’ clinic next year at Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup. Talk to your doctor if you need help. Give you a black book if you need one.

Eye checks Children and adults with special needs can be referred for specialist optician care. Parents/Guardians can contact the practice direct. Linklaters 120 Broadway Bexleyheath Tel: 020 8303 4014 If you need to make an appointment for an eye check please tell staff you have a learning disability. This will mean you have more time for your eye check.

Dental checks Dental specialist care for children and adults with special needs: Bromley Healthcare dental services - Community dental services. (Bromley and Bexley) Tel: 01689 806859 or 01689 866 740 Ask family or carers to write these phone numbers in your black book.

What is the black book? The black book is about keeping information about your health in one place. There are different parts like information about you health action plans your annual health checks and doctor appointments your blood pressure, blood tests results hospital appointments. If you do not have a black book please tell me.

Having an annual health check It is important to have a health check every year. Your doctor or nurse can carry out a health check.

Is there training for doctors and nurses? There needs to be better training for doctors and nurses to care for people with learning disabilities. At the moment there is no training. But there are plans for training to take place. The nurses in the learning disability team will train doctors if their patient is being seen by the learning disability team. This is really important so people with learning disabilities get the best care!!

How to make sure doctors know you have a learning disability Doctors need to keep a list of patients who have learning disabilities. It is called a register. The Bromley Learning Disability Team can also tell the doctor if patients have a learning disability. They can also get information from Bromley Mencap.

Getting help from Bromley Well Bromley Well can offer information and support on keeping well including: How to use your pharmacist and avoid waiting to see the doctor Workshops on healthy eating and gentle exercise Workshops on mindfulness Drop-ins to stop isolations and loneliness Support at medical appointments

Need more help? If you are having a problem seeing your doctor please call the Learning Disability Team. Please take a leaflet about the team. It is in easy read. If you need more information about health check these websites: www.easyhealth.org.uk www.bild.org.uk www.peoplefirst.org.uk

Thank you