Mental Health and Learning Disability Services for Devon

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Looking After Yourself

Introduction

Looking after yourself is important for your physical health, emotional and mental wellbeing. By clicking on the links below we provide information on a range of topics that we hope will help you manage your overall wellbeing and recovery:

Click to view more topics

Are you taking medication?

What you can expect
If you have been prescribed medication you should have been given an information leaflet describing why you have been prescribed the medication, any side effects and what you can do to help.

The Medicines Management Team
For more information about the medicines management team, please click here. Click here for the Personal Medication Record leaflet.

Medicines information helpline
The Medicines Management Team is committed to providing clear, accessible information about medicines to people who use our services. We believe that enabling people to understand their medicines and involving them in prescribing decisions will support their recovery. Medicines can play an important role in recovery but each individual needs to decide how to use medication in the best way for them, alongside other approaches. The Medicines Management Team is, therefore, launching their NEW Medicines Information Helpline which can be used by people who use our services, their carers and healthcare professionals (including Trust staff) if they have any questions or concerns about medication and would like to speak to a specialist mental health pharmacist.

Finding out more about medication
The Choice and Medication website offers people information about medications used in the mental health setting to help people make informed decisions about medication.

What to ask your GP
Make an appointment to see your GP and ask for an annual health check, if you have not had one.

What your local pharmacy can do for you

Getting more information

Click the links below to view fact sheets, leaflets and information directories to support you in your recovery:

Where can I find out what’s happening near me?

Ways to find out what’s happening in your area could be to:

  • Visit your local library
  • Search online using, for example, www.google.co.uk
  • Contact a church in your area
  • Contact PALS on 0800 0730 741 to see if there are any local 'user' groups in your area.

Are you supporting someone and want to know what’s available?

Click the links below to find out more:

If you have found this section useful or would like to provide feedback then feel free to send an email to:

 dpn-tr.info(*at*)nhs.net

Promoting mental health and wellbeing – Taking steps towards living well.

The Trust has completed a pilot study exploring the use of guidance on taking action to promote mental health and personal wellbeing.  The ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ arose as part of the National Foresight Campaign which developed a set of recommendations for action. These are based on evidence from over 400 scientists worldwide of what actions people can take that are strongly associated with improved mental health and wellbeing. This health promotion message is all the more attractive because it guides people to value doing things that are simple, available and free.

The Devon project has reported on its outcomes and also created a range of resources suitable to anyone wishing to take action to improve wellbeing and consider what the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ could mean for them personally or for their team click here.

For further information and access to additional supportive resources contact the Trust’s Communications Team on 01392 208693.

5 Ways to Wellbeing: learning and teaching resources

1.      Project report: ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing: how do you get the message across?’ click here

2.      Self help booklet: ‘Taking steps towards living well: A personal guide to the 5 Ways to Wellbeing’  (read version) (A 5 print version)

3.      Film: a 3min personal introduction to the 5 Ways to Wellbeing click here

4.      PowerPoint presentation: ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing: taking steps towards living well’ - an overview for use in teaching click here

5.      Our local project has been cited as an example of good practice in the NHS Confederation’s national review of how the Five Ways to Wellbeing have been used across the UK since their launch in 2008 click here