Suffolk residents are being urged to support their physical and emotional wellbeing this winter and to get help early if they have any concerns.

As we head into winter, with ongoing restrictions on our daily lives related to the Coronavirus pandemic, it is vital to know what support is out there and to seek help if you need it.

Seeking medical help remains one of the reasons that people can safely leave home during the current national restrictions, in line with government guidance. The current restrictions are helping to protect this capacity within our NHS, meaning that the NHS is still there for patients without coronavirus who need urgent and emergency services for stroke, heart attack, and other killer conditions.

Dr Mark Shenton, chairman of NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group and Professor of Integrated Care at the University of Suffolk, said:

"The NHS is open to support people's physical and mental health needs, and it's important no-one puts off seeking help as that could lead to the condition deteriorating.

"You can seek help in a number of ways, such as NHS 111 by telephone or online. Your local pharmacy is a very good source of advice, with many open long hours and you don't need an appointment to speak with the pharmacist. GP practice staff are there to help, and we urge you to make contact by 'phone or online - once you contact your practice someone will get back in touch with you - it might not always be a GP, it could be a physician associate, a nurse, pharmacist or physiotherapist depending on your medical need.

"There are lots of online resources to support your mental health available from Wellbeing Suffolk and if you need to talk, Suffolk has a 24/7 mental health support line, First Response, meaning you can speak to someone anytime on 0808 196 3494."

Support is still in place for anyone who is struggling with emotional or physical wellbeing due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Support for those who are self-isolating, including financial support, access to food and general advice is also available.

The Covid Hub acts as a gateway to local services which can provide support for a range of things covering emotional and physical wellbeing. If you need ideas on how to look after you and your family's mental health and wellbeing, visit the covid-19 information hub.

www.healthysuffolk.org.uk/covidhub

Stuart Keeble, Director of Public Health Suffolk, said:

"As we head into the colder months of the year, faced with ongoing restrictions on our daily lives in the effort to control the Coronavirus pandemic and save lives, it is vital that we take steps to look after our physical and emotional wellbeing.

"This year has brought new challenges, we have all needed to adapt to a new 'normal'. We must remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint and small changes to our daily routine can help us to feel better and more able to cope with an ever-changing environment.

"If you, or anyone you know is struggling, please remember that support is still available. Visit the Covid Hub to find the right help for you."

During the first wave of the pandemic in March, the Suffolk Resilience Forum acted swiftly to put in place support for Suffolk residents, including the Home But Not Alone phone line 0800 876 6926. This support remains in place for the coming winter.

Visit the covid-19 information hub at www.healthysuffolk.org.uk/covidhub to find support in Suffolk. Services which can be accessed within the Covid Hub include:

• Suffolk Advice and Support Service If you need to talk to someone about your finances and how you can access help please call the SASS service on 0800 068 3131
• NSFT & Suffolk Mind If you need to talk to someone about your mental health and wellbeing please get in touch with NSFT: 0300 123 1503 Suffolk Mind: 0300 111 6000
• First Response If you or someone you know is in mental health crisis please call First Response 0808 196 3494
• Domestic Abuse Helpline Are you a victim of domestic violence and abuse? Call the Suffolk 24-hour Freephone Helpline 0800 977 5690. Are you hurting the one you love? Choose to stop. The Respect Phoneline 0808 802 4040
• Physical activity Visit Keep Moving Suffolk for ideas to improve yours and your family's physical activity levels. www.keepmovingsuffolk.com
• The Source website Information and advice for young people in Suffolk, visit https://thesource.me.uk
• Emotional Wellbeing Hub Support for young people, call 0345 600 2090 or visit Emotional Wellbeing Gateway