Healthy Eating

back to top

Many people find it difficult to maintain a healthy diet in the UK. It can be difficult and expensive to find familiar foods. There are many international food stores in Manchester which might make it easier to find foods that you are used to. Markets are also good places to source fresh foods and are usually cheaper than supermarkets and shops. See the shopping section for further details.

It is important to eat at least 5 portions of fresh fruit or vegetables each day and to have a balanced diet. Many processed foods have a high fat, sugar and salt content and eating too much of them can lead to health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Try to cut down on the amount of sugar and salt you add to foods and drinks and eat fatty foods only in moderation.

All packaged foods that you buy in the UK will have a label which states the food values of the product (ie how much salt, fibre, carbohydrate and fat they have in them). Check the labels to see if you and your family are eating too much salt, sugar and fat.

Exercise

back to top

Lack of exercise is a big factor in developing health problems such as heart disease. If you had a very active life style in your home country you may find that the amount of exercise you do in the UK is not enough and you may start to gain weight and develop health problems. To maintain a healthy and active lifestyle you need to do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day.

Many people in the UK follow organised exercise programmes like going to sports classes, going swimming or going to the gym and there are many facilities for this kind of activity in Manchester (see the Sports and Leisure section ). Many community groups run exercise classes which might be more convenient as well as giving you some social support - ask at your local library for more information.

Activities such as gardening, housework and walking are all great exercise and they are free!.

Emotional and psychological well being

back to top

Many people who move to a new city or country find it difficult to adjust to their new surroundings and suffer from loneliness and  isolation. Some people also have difficulties in coping with UK legal, immigration, education and benefits systems.

Some people feel home sick, worried or guilty about what is happening in their own country. All this is entirely normal although that does not make it any easier to live with.

If you can stay healthy, eat well and get some regular exercise you may find that some of these problems are eased. Trying to keep to some daily routines and to get out of the house - even on short errands such as to the shops or the library or to have a cup of coffee in a café  - can help you to develop a sense of place and belonging.

Many people suffer from loneliness. Social contact is an important human need and it may help you to join a group (perhaps a local parents group, a church or mosque or a refugee community organisation) or visit one of the many drop-ins in town.

If you would like to meet with other people from your home country ask your support or advice worker or visit Refugee Action, Manchester Refugee Support Network or one of the drop-ins listed below and ask them if they know of any refugee community groups where you can meet other people from your country.

The British Red Cross Society has a project called the Refugee Orientation Service. The service matches refugees up with red cross volunteers. The volunteers can help you to organise activities, show you around places of interest in Manchester, help with some practical problems or just meet you for a coffee and a chat.

DROP-IN FACILITIES IN MANCHESTER

Mental Health Problems

Some people also suffer from sleep problems, relationship problems, flash backs, nightmares, anxiety, disorientation and depression as a result of things that have happened to them in the past. Whilst this may be a normal response to abnormal events there are services in the UK that provide help for these kinds of problems.

If you are suffering from any of these problems you should talk to your GP (see below for more details). She or he may be able to offer support through a therapy process such as counselling or psychotherapy  - both processes where you talk to a trained practitioner to try to come to an understanding about why you feel the way you do and resolve some of the issues within your mind. Alternatively your GP may think about prescribing some drugs to help to alleviate some of the symptoms of distress that you are suffering.

Your GP may decide to send you for a mental health assessment to see if you are suffering from a recognised form of mental illness. If this is the case you may also be offered both therapeutic and drug treatment as well as being offered the support of a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) who will see you at home or at the surgery and help you to come to terms with your problems and support you to live with your illness.

It can be very difficult to get help with mental health problems, partly because it is sometimes difficult for a GP to understand the nature of your problem and partly because it can be difficult for people who are suffering serious mental distress to seek help or to cooperate fully with services. These problems can often be made worse when there is a cross-cultural element and or when the practitioner and the patient do not speak the same language.

There are many voluntary sector services in Manchester which offer help to people with mental health problems. Some offer counselling and therapy services and others offer general help and support to people in distress, this may take the form of a safe and understanding environment, self-help groups or meetings or creative activities such as art classes.

Ask your GP, support or Advice worker or contact Mind in Manchester if you would like to know more about these services. Mind in Manchester has an excellent directoryof local services on its web site www.mindinmanchester.org.uk.

GENERAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

 The UK National Health Service

back to top

The health service in the UK is called the NHS (National Health Service). Primary Care services (treatment from a family doctor, community nurse, midwife or other community based health practioner) is free for anyone who is staying in the UK legally, including  refugees, people seeking asylum in the UK and people who are waiting for an appeal decision or have been refused refugee status but are still living in the UK because they cannot  be returned to their country.

Emergency medical treatment is free to everyone in the UK no matter what the immigration status of the individual.

Registering with a GP

back to top

You need to register with a General Practioner (GP) soon after you arrive in the UK. The GP is a family doctor. He or she is the first line of contact with the UK health system and should be able to diagnose and treat your problem or refer you to a specialist doctor or health team if that is necessary.

You do not have to pay for the services of a GP (see page XXX The UK National Health services) and if you are on low income, welfare or NASS benefits or if you are under 18 years old and in full-time education, if you are pregnant or have a child under 1 year old or if you are over 65 years old you should not have to pay for any medicines you need.

What to do if you are ill

back to top

Most GPs work on an appointments system so if you are ill you need to call in or telephone the GP surgery and ask for an appointment. GPs will arrange an interpreter if you do not speak English but you must tell the receptionist when you make an appointment that you need an interpreter. Remember it takes time to organise an interpreter so you will probably have to wait a few days before you can get an appointment.

If you are not registered with a GP and you fall ill you can register as a temporary patient for up to 14 days to receive "immediate necessary treatment".

Manchester also has a number of NHS walk-in centres. If you cannot get an appointment with the GP you can go to a walk-in centre and wait in the queue to be seen by a doctor or nurse practioner. The walk in centres in Manchester are at Manchester Airport Terminal 1, Burnage and Manchester Royal Information. See contact details at the end of the chapter.

If you or someone you know has a serious accident or health incident you should either call the ambulance (999 - free from any telephone) or take them to the nearest Accident and Emergency Department. In Manchester there are Accident and Emergency Departments at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Wythenshawe Hospital and North Manchester General Hospital. See the section on emergencies for further details.

 NHS DIRECT                                                      0845 4647

If you or a family member is ill and you are unsure what to do you can call NHS Direct on 0845 4647. The call is free from any land line.

NHS Direct uses a telephone interpretation service so if you do not speak very much English you can call - tell the nurse the language you w nt to speak and you will be able to talk to him or her through an interpreter.

NHS direct is a 24  hour, confidential help-line staffed by nurses, providing help, advice and information on:

Ø      What to do if you or a family member feels ill

Ø      Particular health conditions

Ø      Local health services

Ø      Self-help and support organisations

Alternative Therapies

back to top

Alternative therapy is the term used to describe a range of non-medical health interventions like reflexology (therapeutic foot massage), aromatherapy (therapeutic scent treatment),acupuncture (therapy concentrating on pressure points), herbal medicine, homeopathy (treatment with natural plant extracts) etc.

These kinds of treatments can be extremely beneficial for certain types of health problem. What are called "alternative therapies" in the UK are often derived from traditional medicine practices and may be familiar to you from your home country.

Some GP services offer alternative therapies on the NHS but mostly services are run either privately or through community and voluntary organisations. You will usually have to pay for these services though community groups often charge only a small amount.

Smoking, drinking and drugs

back to top

Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol are legal in the UK for adults. Most non-prescription drugs are illegal.

Many people in the UK smoke and or drink socially.  Smoking is very bad for your health and contributes to many serious health problems such as heart disease and strokes. The UK government is trying to reduce the number of smokers in the UK and is going to ban smoking in most enclosed public spaces (such as shops, office, cafes and even most bars) in 2005. The NHS offers help to people who want to give up smoking and you can get counselling and nicotine replacement patches from your GP. Speak to your GP if you would like to try to give up smoking and want to find out about services near you.

The healthy limit for alcohol is 28 units a week for men (3-4 drinks per day) and 21 units a week for women (2-3 drinks per day). Heavy drinking may lead to serious health problems such as liver disease and can contribute to heart failure. Excessive alcohol drinking is also a major contributory factor to many serious accidents and incidences of violence. If you think you are drinking too much alcohol or you are not in control of your drinking you can ask your GP for help or talk to the Manchester Drug and Alcohol service (see contact details below). Health services in the UK are confidential so you need not worry that admitting to a problem will affect your legal status.

Though most non-prescription drugs are illegal in the UK there is a thriving illegal trade in cannabis, cocaine, crack cocaine, heroine and ecstasy among other drugs. It is difficult not to be exposed to the drug trade in inner city areas and most towns and even villages in the UK have drug issues within the community. Drug education is an important part of the fight against drugs and it is important that you and especially your children are aware of the issues. Ask your GP or your child's school for drug awareness information.

If you are taking illegal drugs and want to stop you should talk to your GP or to the Manchester Drug and Alcohol service (see contact details below).

Health services in the UK are confidential so you need not worry that admitting to a problem will affect your legal status or lead to prosecution.

There are also a number of self-help groups for people who have drink and drug problems. The best known are Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous who meet regularly in many different venues. Call the numbers below for details of a meeting near you or ask your GP or the Manchester Drug and Alcohol Service.

Safe Sex

back to top

The numbers of sexually transmitted disease including HIV infections are growing in the UK so it is advisable to practice safe sex if you are not in a stable relationship or you do not know the sexual history of your partner. Safe sex means having sex with a condom. Condoms are available free from any sexual health or family planning clinic - ask your GP for one near you and can be bought cheaply in supermarkets and chemists.

top