Be Healthy

At Swanwick Lodge we define health as physical, mental and emotional well-being. By observing the child holistically, we offer a range of assessments and interventions thus promoting a healthier lifestyle and positive lifestyle choices.

The physical, emotional and health needs of each young person are promoted throughout the young person’s placement at Swanwick Lodge. Each child is ‘reviewed’ holistically and a range of assessments and interventions promoting a healthy lifestyle and positive life style choices will be made.

Every child and young person entering our care will have an admission medical within one working day which is undertaken by the local GP (the child/young person can state a preference in respect of the gender of the doctor). The GP is supported by our nurse and all health checks are completed with the child or young person and are in consultation with their parents/carers. They are undertaken to assess individual needs and ensure that we are aware of any ongoing health care needs and allergies, thus enabling us to incorporate treatments into their individual placement plans. All young people are provided with advice, guidance, support and access to the relevant health care professionals, pertinent to their specific need, or on a more general and personal level using the services of our on-site nurse. Every child has an individual health care plan as part of the overall placement plan and where appropriate, arrangements exist for a child to attend specialist medical diagnosis and treatment that are unavailable on site. The children and young people are also offered routine health checks as well as those for hearing, vision and dental health,

Healthy eating is encouraged through a well-balanced choice of meals and a wide range of physical health and fitness programmes are available thus ensuring a good balance between nutrition and exercise. A programme of leisure pursuits is available evenings, weekends and throughout the school holidays

Within 5 working days of admission, the children and young people are also assessed for substance misuse by the PRISM network₇, with their individual placement plan clearly identifying any interventions required. If clinical intervention is required, then that will be undertaken by ₈Catch 22.

Through the substance misuse plan, overseen by the substance misuse worker, we are able to offer a variety of related interventions for Substance misuse, Smoking cessation, Alcohol misuse and Harm minimisation. The main approach that we take to substance misuse, at Swanwick Lodge, involves the use of workshops which use the medium of drama as a learning experience. As with all aspects of the health service at Swanwick, the delivery of the substance misuse programme offers a multi agency approach to allow the children and young people to have access to the best levels of care in this area. The SMUworker will ensure the onward referral of the child or young person, to the drug intervention services of their responsible authority and we see their role as vital in building on the positive changes in attitude achieved, while at Swanwick Lodge.

The Swanwick Lodge Nurse ensures that all the components of a young person’s health and well being are combined in a specific health care plan, for which she has responsibility and that on discharge the relevant information follows the young person. This includes any mental health intervention identified through the UAT Psychological Therapy team, including medication.

_{7Hampshire County Council’s (HCC) PRISM service undertakes the initial drug & substance assessment with all young people within 5 days of being admitted to Swanwick. They also undertake 1 to 1 follow on work as required.}

_{8Catch 22 is HCC’s clinical intervention service, commissioned by Hampshire DAAT}