Staying Healthy

Cold Weather

Torfaen Council has developed a Keep Well this Winter leaflet to promote good health and offers energy saving tips to keep your home warm in the winter months.

You can also visit NEST, the Welsh Government’s fuel poverty scheme which offers a range of advice through expert partners, as well as a full home energy assessment and home improvements for the most energy inefficient homes – at no cost to the householder.

Reducing your Risk of Falling

If you are an older person and you have fallen once, unfortunately you are more likely to fall again. Torfaen’s Falls Service run programmes to help reduce the risk of you falling over again.

Flu Vaccines

Click on the link below for the latest advice on Flu Vaccinations.

Heartstart UK

Heartstart UK is a two-hour programme which aims to equip people with the skills that can save lives. The programme is free and covers the care of an unconscious casualty, basis life support, what to do in a suspected heart attack, if someone is choking or there is severe bleeding. Training can be given to groups or individuals. For more information contact the Aneurin Bevan Health Board. Tel: 01495 332167.

Leg Clubs

Leg clubs provide community- based medical treatment, health promotion, education and ongoing care for people of all age groups who are experiencing lower leg-related problems, e.g. varicose veins, skin tears, leg ulcers, swollen legs, or who have difficulty in walking. Leg clubs are run by volunteers and provide people with the opportunity to meet others with similar leg problems over a cup of tea or coffee. There are two leg clubs in Torfaen.

Blaenavon leg club runs from 10am to 3pm every Tuesday at the Constitutional Club, Old James Street. Tel: Tracy Baker on (01495) 790346 or 07895 584214 Email tracybaker64@live.co.uk

Cwmbran leg clubs runs from 11am to 4pm every Friday. Tel: (01633) 647480

Medication Management

When given new medication, you should check a number of things with your pharmacist; is it the same as previous brands, how will it interact with other medicines, what are the side effects? Pharmacists can carry out a Medicines Use Review (MUR) and you should ask for these on a regular basis to ensure you are getting the best out of the prescribed medicines and are not taking prescriptions for drugs you are not using. Inhalers are often not taken properly and your pharmacist can demonstrate how to use it effectively so that you are receiving the maximum benefit. For more information visit the Medication Management website.

Minor Ailments Scheme

The Minor Ailments Scheme offers free advice and treatment through the Pharmacy First Scheme. For more information on the scheme visit the Pharmacy First Scheme area of the website.

Podiatry

Podiatry referrals must be made by a health professional, e.g. GP, district nurse etc. Appointment waiting times are dependent upon current waiting lists, service constraints and the urgency of the condition. Home visits are only made when someone cannot be brought to the clinic. Podiatry appointments can be made for:

Abersychan Medical Centre, Clarence Street Clinic – Pontypool, Blaenavon Health Centre, Croesyceiliog Clinic, Cwmbran Town Centre Clinic, Fairwater Shopping Centre Clinic, New Inn Medical Centre, Panteg Hospital, Trevethin Clinic

Nail Cutting Service

A nail cutting service is available from Age Concern Torfaen at its Widdershins Centre in Sebastopol. You must be referred by your GP or another clinically qualified person e.g a nurse or a member of the Gwent NHS Podiatry Service.

For more information on the service and its charges, contact Widdershins on 01495 762151, email widdershins@ageconcerntorfaen.org or visit the Age Concern website.

Swine Flu

For the latest information on Swine Flu vaccinations visit the NHS - Swine Flu website.

Veggie Box Schemes

Veggie Box Schemes in Torfaen offer access to fresh fruit and vegetables at an affordable price. To find out more information on the schemes, contact one of the organisations below which run the schemes in Torfaen:

• Garnsychan Partnership - 01495 774453
• Co-Star Partnership - 01633 838063

Last Modified: 18/02/2022 Back to top