Accessing healthcare support services: what you need to know

In the UK, we are lucky to benefit from NHS services for a myriad of both severe and minor ailments and illnesses. There are numerous different health departments within NHS hospitals and specialised support services around the country. While these are available to everyone who needs them, accessing them could be a bit tougher than you’d expect.

Similarly, if you’re searching for private healthcare support, that access may not necessarily be harder to get, but it will be costly. To help guide you through this process, we’ve put together a short guide on how you can access healthcare support services.

GP Services

As you’ll know, speaking to your GP is often the first port of call if you’re struggling with some form of illness or injury. Unless it’s a life-threatening emergency, discussing your symptoms or problems with your doctor is the best way to get the ball rolling for further treatment if required. However, while most people are GP-registered in the UK, there are still many that don’t get registered at their local doctor’s practice, due to it slipping their mind after moving or simply because they don’t think it’s essential.

Unfortunately, some are even denied registration due to sleeping rough, for example, and being unable to provide proof of address or significant ID. Now, however, NHS access cards are available for those that fit this category to improve the accessibility for those who have been previously denied help.

Dentistry

Similar to signing up for GP services registering with a dentist is incredibly important. Again, there are also a number of people that fail to register with their dentist, and a lot of the time, this comes down to a lack of forethought. Needing urgent dental care due to toothache, abscess or any other uncomfortable or painful problems is made all the more difficult if you’re yet to be registered at a dentist.

Remember, it’s much better to have a dentist and not need them than need one and not have access. Of course, serious dental trauma such as broken and lost teeth due to injury can be dealt with in some way during a trip to A&E, but restorative care and the treatment of more minor, non-emergency issues must be done via a dentist. Don’t wait around until you desperately need a dentist; register with your local one today.

Pharmacists

When we think of pharmacies, we tend to see them as little more than a shop that also provides you with a place to pick up your prescription medicine. But what many don’t realise is that a trained pharmacist is a medical professional, and while their focus lies with the creation and distribution of medication, they actually have a wealth of knowledge and expertise when it comes to offering medical advice and guidance.

Your pharmacist can suggest a course of action or help you to decide whether you need to take things further by arranging a GP appointment, or they can suggest over-the-counter medicines and remedies to help you tend to less severe issues, such as cold and flu, as well as minor injuries. You won’t need an appointment. Just walk into your nearest pharmacy, and ask for some advice: they’re here to help.

Quitting Smoking

A typical support service that members of the public utilise is the NHS stop smoking service. There are many different methods for approaching this, and there isn’t one particular treatment or piece of advice that can convince anyone to quit smoking. However, the advice that these services can give can make the whole process that little bit easier.

Unfortunately, though, accessing these services isn’t as easy as you’d think, and there are some significant steps that you may need to take to be viable for this assistance. Either way, it’s worth following the steps where possible, as well as pursuing other self-help methods such as nicotine patches or vaping to help you along.

Mental Health Support

Today, one of the most significant problems that we face today as a society surrounds our mental health. Depression and anxiety, along with other more niche mental health issues, are commonplace in society and finding ways to manage these disorders has become a focal point for many. Speaking to your doctor is a sure-fire way to get on a waiting list to find specialised help in the form of therapy.

However, this can take months or even years to sort out due to the incredibly stretched NHS. Private clinics are also available but remember that you will be required to pay for these services, although you won’t have to wait long at all before you can begin speaking to a professional. Luckily, when it comes to the NHS, many GP practices have access to counselling services which can be a great lifeline whilst you await further specialist treatment, and GPs can also prescribe specific drugs that can be used to help manage symptoms and reduce their impact on your life.

Weight Management

Taking care of our health is about much more than remedying specific illnesses or problems. Preventative measures should also be taken in the hopes that we can better avoid severe diseases. Losing weight is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, but getting specific help with losing weight from national services isn’t necessarily easy. Unless you’re unable to exercise and fix your weight alone, the chances are you won’t be receiving specialist care. But again, your GP is the best person to speak to once you’ve acknowledged a serious problem with your weight. They’ll be able to help you identify what’s causing your weight gain. You can also make use of online NHS services to help you to work out a healthy diet and exercise plan to follow.

Health Screening

Between the ages of 40 to 74, the NHS offers patients a health check to screen for serious illnesses and diseases. There are many different things that they check for, including heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke risks. It’s highly recommended that everyone over the age of 40 visit their GP to arrange one of these screenings for peace of mind and the opportunity to remedy these issues if they appear.