Did you know that there are some free NHS health services you can access without needing an appointment with your GP? This is called self-referral and could help you find the care you need quicker and more easily than going through your surgery. Self-referral often includes services for drug and alcohol problems, as well as antenatal care and improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT).
You can register for most of them online. In some cases you refer yourself by phoning rather than emailing or by completing an online form.
Victims First
Victims First Specialist Service supports anyone who has been a victim of a serious crime such as rape, sexual abuse, modern slavery or exploitation. Their team of Caseworkers are dedicated to making sure you can seek justice and get the right support to cope and recover.
They now have a new Outreach service and would like to speak to mutli-ethnic communities with the aim of raising awareness about their service and to offer Casework support to anyone who has experienced a serious crime.
Victims First offer free, independent, confidential, 1-2-1 emotional & practical support:
- They can advocate for your rights and make sure your needs are met.
- They offer help to access the right support services.
- If you choose to, they can support you through the criminal justice system.
- They can connect you with therapeutic support to promote your wellbeing.
- They can access interpreters if needed.
Please call one of their Outreach Workers for a confidential chat or for more information about the service on 07908 092116 (Oxfordshire), 07956 155167 (Buckinghamshire) or 07961 659794 (Berkshire).
Website: www.victims-first.org.uk
CAMHS [NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services]
Professionals, parents and young persons aged 14 yrs+ can refer via the telephone consultation service on 01865 902515 4 or via the website: www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/camhs.
Go Smoke Free!
You can now self refer for free nicotine replacement therapy between 1st January – 31st March 2022 via Knights Pharmacy in Banbury, please use the following link for more information: Smoke free Oxfordshire by 2025 | Oxfordshire County Council
Helping you to move more & feel better
Have you been shielding due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Has your physical or mental health and wellbeing been negatively impacted by COVID-19? If so, Move Together is here to help.
www.activepartnerships.org – Active Oxfordshire and district councils launch Move Together
The Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Service
This NHS service allows patients to self-refer or via a GP.
Age UK
We have 2 community link workers who work alongside practice staff as part of what is now called “social prescribing”. They are employed by the Banbury Alliance PCN (Hightown, Windrush and Woodlands Surgeries) to improve health through support in all areas of living and can access a wide range of resources that are additional to general medical services.
Emergency Eye Casualty
Patients will need to call and be triaged on the number below before they are seen at the Eye Casualty.
Telephone number: 01865 234567 (use option 1 followed by option 1)
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 08:30-16:30 and Saturday and Sunday 08:30-15:30pm (includes bank holiday). Out of hours call 111.
Free online sleep therapy
Sleepio is a fully automated online sleep improvement programme for poor sleep, which delivers tailored and engaging advice, 24/7 based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It is also NICE evaluated and NHS endorsed.
Around 20% of the adult population have persistence poor sleep. Sleepio is clinically proven to help those with insomnia make the changes necessary to achieve healthy sleep levels. In addition to better sleep, Sleepio users report improved productivity, more energy during the day and a reduction in anxiety and depression.
Anyone can access the Sleepio programme.
Website: www.go.bighealth.com/sleepio_nhs
New age-related hearing loss service launched in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group has commissioned a new, free treatment service for over-55s who have age-related hearing loss who have undertaken two weeks’ self-management without success. This follows work they carried out last year asking people about their experiences of getting treatment for earwax problems.
Find out more, including links to the report and to a self-referral form for the new service, at www.healthwatchoxfordshire.com – New age-related hearing loss service launched in Oxfordshire.
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health Helpline
Call the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health Helpline if you need help with a mental health problem.
This number replaces 111 for mental health advice in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
- For adults and older adults call 0800 783 0119.
- For children and young people call 0800 783 0121.
Better Housing Better Health (BHBH)
Better Housing Better Health (BHBH) is a longstanding service working to reduce the number of people in fuel poverty; and so improve health & wellbeing. It is coordinated by National Energy Foundation (registered charity number 298591), but involves many other organisations across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, with a cross-referral mechanism in place to maximise the benefit to residents of each organisation’s field of expertise. It is kindly funded by Oxford County Council and the five local authority districts.
BHBH operates across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire (excluding Milton Keynes). There are no eligibility criteria for residents to access this service, although it is targeted towards vulnerable residents. It encourages residents to look out for their neighbours, and those more vulnerable than themselves, particularly when the temperature drops, and risk of adverse health effects are increased.
Helpline Service
The network provides a central helpline, 0800 107 0044, able to give impartial expert advice on all issues surrounding fuel poverty and affordable warmth. This may include:
- Energy saving tips
- Heating systems; including any financial assistance for upgrades or replacements
- Insulation; loft, cavity wall and solid wall
- Fuel debt advice
- Switching energy suppliers
The helpline is promoted towards all residents likely to be struggling with rising energy bills, or those vulnerable to the cold. If residents prefer, there is also a dedicated email address, also used for incoming referrals from partner organisations: bhbh@nef.org.uk.
Financial assistance for home efficiency improvements (such as loft or wall insulation, replacement high-efficiency boiler or heating control upgrades etc.) may come from grants from the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Council assistance and incentive schemes, energy supplier trust funds, benevolent trusts, flexible home improvement loans, depending on eligibility and available funding.
For further information or to complete a contact form please click on the link below.
You can refer someone else whether you are a relation, friend or advocate.
Single Point of Access
Single Point of Access can help you or someone you care for access help from Occupational Therapists, physiotherapists or Social Services. Ring (their number) to discuss your care needs
Please call 01865 903750.
School Health Nurse
If you have a child aged 5 – 11 years attending a primary school in Banbury, Burford or Carterton parents can contact the school health nurse team directly to request help or advice for their child.
For children at Banbury primary schools please telephone 01865 904234.
Further information on the service is available on the link below.
Banbury Park Run
Hightown Surgery is now a parkrun practice. They will be encouraging staff and patients to attend the Banbury parkrun as volunteers, runners, walkers, spectators. There’s evidence that whatever level people participate at there are positive mental and physical health benefits.
What is Banbury parkrun?
It is a 5km run – it’s you against the clock.
When is it?
Every Saturday at 09:00.
Where is it?
The event takes place in Spiceball park, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 2QU.
How fast do I have to be?
We all run for our own enjoyment. Please come along and join in whatever your pace!
What does it cost to join in?
Nothing – it’s free! but please register (www.parkrun.org.uk/register) before your first run.
For more information on this year’s Banbury parkrun, visit www.parkrun.org.uk/banbury.
Achieve – Healthy Weight Loss – Oxfordshire
Achieve Healthy Weight Loss works with a range of partners to deliver from over 50 locations across Oxfordshire.
There are a range of free programmes and resources on their website.
These include:
- exercise and healthy eating programme.
- lose weight with giving free access to Slimming World, Weight Watchers and Man V Fat Football.
MAN v FAT Football
FA-endorsed 16-week football league exclusively for men who are overweight with a BMI of 30+ – is coming to Banbury and would-be players are being invited to sign up. Local men who want to tackle their weight issues now have the chance to join this weight loss league, commissioned by Achieve Oxfordshire, part of Oxfordshire County Council public health.
For more information visit www.news.oxfordshire.gov.uk – MAN V FAT Football
For further details visit: www.achieveoxfordshire.org.uk
Call: 01865 338119
Email: hello@achieveoxfordshire.org.uk
Facebook: @achieveoxfordshire
Oxfordshire Community Bowel and Bladder Service
The Oxfordshire Community Bladder and Bowel Service is a community based service offering assessment, individualised treatment and support for anyone over the age of four to improve their bladder and bowel health.
Patients, family members and carers can make a direct referral to the adult service.
Referral to the children’s service can only be made by a healthcare professional.
Adult Telephone (aged 18+): 01865 904 303
Address: Community Bladder and Bowel Service Witney Community Hospital Welch Way Witney OX28 6JJ
Office opening times: Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00
Physiotherapy
An initial physiotherapy assessment can be arranged with a Senior Physiotherapist without a referral from your GP. Please ask at Reception for a hub referral.
NHS Physiotherapy Services
You can self-refer to NHS physiotherapy services via the Connect MSK service. Please visit the website to refer yourself. Your GP does not need to refer you and doing it yourself is likely to be quicker. The website has lots of useful information on exercises and self-help too.
If you are unable to look online, the patient phone line is 01865 634 336.
This is a new service since 3/10/2022.
Turning Point
Website: www.turning-point.co.uk
Turning Point are a social enterprise, providing specialist and integrated services which focus on improving lives and communities across mental health, learning disability, substance misuse, primary care, the criminal justice system and employment.
Telephone number for Oxfordshire is 0300 0134 776 and email address is Oxfordshire@turning-point.co.uk.
Banbury Hub
Turning Point Banbury, Banbury Health Centre, 58 Bridge Street, Banbury, OX16 5QD.
Tel: 01295 225 544
Find out more about the services in Oxfordshire on the Oxfordshire Wellbeing Cloud. www.wellbeing.turning-point.co.uk/oxfordshire
Oxfordshire Roads to Recovery
What they do
Roads to Recovery is your countywide integrated alcohol and drugs service. They offer support to individuals throughout Oxfordshire from their full-time, dedicated recovery hubs.
Banbury Hub
This hub is open 5 days a week providing a full range of specialist services in the area.
You can self refer by contacting the neighbourhood centre on 0207 233 3553 or by filling the below form.
See the referral form at www.turning-point.co.uk – Referral Form. They accept referrals from individuals, organisations and family/friends.
Referrals can be emailed, faxed or taken over the phone. The referral form is available at our service hubs, partner agencies and shared care settings.