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Health and wellbeing

Your health and wellbeing matter to us, and we want to make sure you have the support, information and services you need to stay healthy, feel your best, and look after yourself as you move into adulthood.

Here’s what we can offer to help you feel good, stay safe and be well.

The Leaving Care Service will help you register with a GP, dentist, and optician if you’re not already signed up.

 

Doctor and GP
We know that health appointments can cause all of us some worry or anxiety and so even if all you need is some encouragement, we will be there for you. Your personal advisor can help to support you:

  • find and register with a GP and dentist 
  • make phone calls for you or with you about your health 
  • get to appointments 
  • attend appointments with you
  • practice the skills you will need as an adult to manage your health 
  • make referrals to wellbeing or mental health services 

Health Passports we are working closely with the Care Leavers Health Team to ensure that every care leaver has a Health Passport. This document details your personal health and family health history. This will also include details of services available for you to access. This is really useful if you have or intend to move GPs.

 

Cared for Children’s Nursing Team
The Cared for Children's team are a 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, service and can offer support and advice on any health issues relating to cared for children.

The Cared for Children’s Nursing Team supports young people in care and care leavers up to age 25. They can help you understand how to look after your health and move on to adult health services. They will help you to access free or reduced cost NHS health care support for things like eye tests, prescriptions or dental care via the HC1 exemption certificate or any other scheme that you may be entitled to. You’ll find the latest offer from their team here.

You can get in touch with The Cared for Children’s Nursing team by calling 0161 335 2984 or email caredforchildren@tgh.nhs.uk. They are located at Ann Street Clinic, Ann Street, Denton, Manchester, M34 2AJ.

 

Prescriptions
The Leaving Care Service or your Personal Advisor will help you apply for free prescriptions through the Free Prescriptions for Care Leavers scheme. This gives you access to free medication up to the age of 25 via a pre-payment prescription certificate. You can check if you get free prescriptions here.

To find out more about free prescriptions, you can click here.

To find the application form that will need completing for you to get free prescriptions, you can click here.

 

Dentist
If you’re struggling to get an NHS dentist, the D-Scheme can help. It’s a priority dental registration pathway available to our cared for children and care leavers who need help getting a dentist. You can find more information about the D-Scheme here.


You can locate your nearest dentist here.

 

Opticians
Find out if you're entitled to a free NHS sight test or an optical voucher to reduce the cost of glasses or contact lenses here.

 

Be Well Tameside
Be Well Tameside is a free service for those who live, work, volunteer or have a GP in the borough.
 
The service offers range of health and wellbeing support, advice on a range of day-to-day lifestyle issues areas:

  • stopping smoking
  • free NHS health checks
  • food, nutrition and healthy eating
  • physical activity
  • oral health
  • alcohol awareness

They can help you achieve those goals through one-to-one appointments, regular contact and support, and practical tips. Appointment are available at a number of venues across Tameside. They also offer telephone and video appointments.

You can contact Be Well Tameside by calling 0161 342 5050 or emailing bewelltameside@tameside.gov.uk or by visiting www.tameside.gov.uk/bewelltameside

 

Alcohol and substance misuse support services
Change Grow Live
Change Grow Live is a health and social care charity. They provide free and confidential treatment, support and information about drug and alcohol use, smoking, homelessness, justice and probation, and employment. There are here for you, judgement-free, whatever your circumstances. You can visit Change Grow Live’s website here.

My Recovery
My Recovery Tameside is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, young people, families, carers and affected others in Tameside.

You can fill out the My Recovery form here or you can visit their drop-in sessions, which they host every Tuesday, 12noon till 7pm, at their Ashton base, 111-113 Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7RL or every Thursday, 12noon till 7pm, at their Hyde base, 1st floor, Thornley house, Thornley Street, SK14 1JY. You can visit My Recovery’s website here.

 

Branching Out
Branching Out are a free and confidential service that specialises in supporting young people aged 25 and under who are affected by drugs or alcohol. Alongside this, they work with families, carers and professionals who are concerned about somebody else’s substance use.

You can get in touch with Branching Out by calling 0161 672 9420 or emailing Branchingout@cgl.org.uk or you can visit their website here.

 

Talk to Frank
Talk to Frank (often just “FRANK”) is a service providing factual, non‑judgmental information about drugs, their effects, risks, and the law. It is designed for anyone, young people, adults, parents, or carers, seeking reliable drug-related advice. You can visit Talk to Frank’s website here.

 

Sexual health and relationships
YOUthink
YOUthink is a team of youth workers supporting young people aged 13-25 with their sexual health. We work with our local sexual health services and are qualified and experienced to advise, inform, and support you with the following sexual health concerns:

  • condom distribution
  • chlamydia and gonorrhoea screening
  • healthy relationships
  • pregnancy testing
  • promoting safe sex
  • raising awareness of sexual health issues for young people
  • sexting and online safety
  • sexual harassment.
  • accessing the sexual health clinic
  • making informed choices about your sexual health and overall well-being
  • understanding consent

You can follow YOUthink on TikTok here or by searching @youthink_tameside

 

Locala
Locala are your local sexual health service. You can come along to our clinic and have a private chat and support in the following areas;

  • contraception
  • emergency contraception
  • sexual health screening
  • treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • HIV testing
  • Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)
  • pregnancy testing
  • sexual health advice

We can also help you in the following ways:

  • ‘Chat Sexual Health’- a non-emergency text service where you can text a Sexual Health Nurse for Sexual Health advice on 07312263032.
  • You can turn up without an appointment to be seen in the Under 18’s ‘Queue and Wait’ clinic every Tuesday 15:30-18:30 at The Orange Rooms, Ashton Primary Care Centre, 193 Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7SR.
  • C-card – A distribution scheme for 13–24-year-olds for condoms, femidoms and pregnancy tests, as well as confidential advice and guidance.

You can find out more about Locala by visiting their website here.

 

Family Nurse Partnership (FNP)
The Family Nurse Partnership is a home visiting programme if you are a first-time young mum and under the age of 21. You’ll be offered support throughout your pregnancy and until your baby turns 2, covering parenting skills, emotional wellbeing and early child development. We also offer groups, parenting courses and 1:1 support at centres across Tameside.

You will also have access to our local Family Hubs. Family Hubs provide an unprecedented level of support to children and parents/carers. They act as a 'one stop shop' offering early support to families and young people to help overcome difficulties and build strong relationships. You can find your local Family Hub here.

Find out about the different services and activities that you might be interested in through the Eary Help Offer here.

We also have the Tameside’s Parenting Offer, which strives to support families when it is needed most. We offer a range of courses and services to suit the needs of all parents and children in Tameside. You can find out more about Tameside’s Parenting Offer here.

 

Mental health
Leaving Care Service
Lightening the Load: One Step at a Time

  • We are a warm and welcoming group who meet for gentle, friendly walks to boost mental health, meet new people, and enjoy a breather from life’s stresses.
  • There’s no pressure and there’s no pace setting. Just fresh air, friendly faces and a chance to talk – or simply listen – to people like you.

 

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
Tameside’s local CAMHS services can provide extended support if you are in care and aged 16-17. This includes:

  • Professional ‘consultation’ slots available with CAMHS clinicians which your social worker can book (with your permission). This is an opportunity for your social worker to seek advice about how they can best support your emotional wellbeing.
  • Therapeutic support if you need it and want it.
  • Help to find the right service after you turn 18 (if you are already working with CAMHS).

 

Crisis support
Do you need someone to talk to right now? You can call The Samaritans for free on 116 123.

 

Leisure services
You can get a free or cheaper Tameside Active Plus Pass or Pure Gym membership.

To find more information about the Tameside Active Plus Pass, click here.


To find out more information about the activities run by Active Tameside, click here.

 

Things to do locally
These are low cost or free activities in Tameside where you can have fun, be creative, stay active and meet people:
 

Sports and movement

Creative activities

  • Broadoak Community Community Café: Open every Wednesday and Friday 9:30am till 1:30pm offering “pay what you can” or “free” meals.
  • Tameside Music Service offers subsidised or free lessons for young people.
  • Tameside Libraries offers a range of services from computer skills to business events and social activities in between.
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