Health

Registration of Births

Any birth, which occurs in Scotland must be registered within 21 days.

Further information can be found on https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registration/registering-a-birth or by contacting your local registrar:

Fair Isle 01595 760224

Foula 01595 753279

Lerwick 01595 744562

Skerries 01806 515255

Health Visitors

Health Visitors are highly skilled, specialist nurses who can have a positive impact on child and family health by supporting children and families in the first few years of a child’s life through:

• Providing information, advice and support to all children under 5 years of age and their families
• Proactively promoting health for children and families
• Promoting, supporting and safeguarding the wellbeing of children
• Building strong relationships with children and families
• Offering support in the early weeks of a child’s life
• Focusing on family strengths, while assessing and respectfully responding to their needs
• Delivering the core programme of 11 home visits to all families, 8 within the first year of life and 3 child health reviews between 13 months and 4-5 years
• Undertaking the role of Named Person for each child from birth to school entry (Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014)

Reducing health inequalities by responding to the needs of vulnerable families who require additional support in response to a range of special needs arising from social disadvantage or disability, including help to access other services if required;

And these are delivered through an interconnecting triad of development of the Health Visitor- parent relationship, home visits and needs assessments.

Your Health Visitor can be contacted through your GP practice.

Contact: 01595 743094 or your local health visitor can be contacted through your GP Practice

Community Mental Health Team

As well as providing specific services in each part of the islands, the Community Mental Health Team offers a number of Shetland-wide services. They are based in the Lerwick Health Centre.

Contact: 01595 743006

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Specialist mental health services for children and young people with serious and enduring mental health difficulties. CAMHS are based at Brevik House, Lerwick. This service is accessed via your GP.

Contact: 01595 743663

Sexual Health Clinic

This clinic provides advice and information on all aspects of sexual health, operating a drop in service at the Gilbert Bain Hospital on Monday evenings between 6.30 - 8.30, no appointment required.

Contact: 01595 743230 (during clinic times)

NHS Shetland Health Improvement

The Shetland NHS Health Improvement Team are based at Grantfield but work the length and breadth of Shetland to help keep people healthy. This is more than just general health, they offer advice run programmes on all aspects of our health. Their practitioners cover all local health centres, as well as local communities, schools and businesses.

Health Improvement is about making the health of individuals and communities better. We encourage people to make healthier lifestyle choices for themselves and their families – about things like eating, exercise, smoking and alcohol – and offer practical support to help them do this.

They also encourage and support the Health Board, the SIC, voluntary organisations and businesses to work together to improve health by addressing things like poverty, housing, working conditions, educational opportunities and life/work skills.

Health means different things to different people at different times in their lives, and there are lots of things that can affect your health. To find information about what support you can access from the Health Improvement team you can go on their website or contact 01595743084

Smokefree

People are welcome to call NHS Smokefree and talk to a friendly adviser who can offer confidential advice, information and support, as well as details of their Local Stop Smoking Service.Lines are open daily from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 11am to 4pm at the weekends.People are also welcome to join our online community by liking the NHS Smokefree Facebook page and following us @nhssmokefree on Twitter

Contact: 0300 123 1044

Smoking Cessation Support Worker

If you are thinking about quitting smoking, there is a lot of support available to help you stop and stay stopped. Here you’ll find hints and tips on how to stop smoking, along with details of local and national services. You can also chat online with a Smokeline advisorContact: 01595743084

Alcoholics Anonymous

If you seem to be having trouble with your drinking, or if your drinking has reached the point of where it worries you, you may be interested to know something about Alcoholics Anonymous. You can talk to other people who are also concerned about their drinking and learn about the AA programme of recovery of from alcoholism.Contact: 0800 9177 650 email help@aamail.org or you live chat on their website

Drinkline

Drinkline, a free, confidential helpline for people who are concerned about their drinking, or someone else's.

Contact: 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am–8pm, weekends 11am–4pm)

Drinkaware

Drinkaware is an independent charity working to reduce alcohol misuse and harm in the UK. It aims to help people make better choices about drinking.Contact: 020 7766 9900

Shetland Breast Feeding Group

Bruce Family Centre Friday 12.30 - 2.00 p.m.

Contact: https://www.facebook.com/groups/217013635126407/

Scottish Health Council Shetland

For advice and support on the engagement of people and communities in the design of health and care services

Contact: 01595 741260 shetland@scottishhealthcouncil.org

Childsmile

Childsmile is the Scottish Government’s preventative programme to improve children’s oral health. From birth parents are offered dental packs containing sippy cups and important dietary and brushing advice. Dental practice appointments with the Childsmile nurse are offered from 6 months old and at nursery and school daily supervised toothbrushing sessions are supported. Twice a year fluoride varnish is applied by the Childsmile team to strengthen children’s teeth and this may be done in school or at the dental practice.

Contact: 01595 743398

Child Healthy Weight Initiatives

SCOTT Programme

This is a family centred weight management programme to help promote child healthy weight. The programme does not focus on dieting but instead helps the family to establish long-term lifestyle changes to diet and physical activity to promote a healthier lifestyle. The SCOTT Programme consists of 9 sessions with the child and at least one adult over 6 months for children aged between 5-15 years.

Counterweight

If your BMI is over 25 and you would like help to change you can take part in the Counterweight Programme.

The aims of Counterweight are:• To help change your eating habits and physical activity levels in the long term.• To help you achieve a medically worthwhile weight loss of between 5-10% of your starting weight.• To help you maintain your weight loss.• To improve your health generally

You can join the Counterweight Programme locally by contacting your local Health Centre or the Health Improvement Department.

Updates and amendments to information should be notified to vas@shetland.org