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Array Activity Centre – ourZone Find out more and joinIf you are over 18 years of age and you would like to find out more please call the ourZone team on 01634 335580 or by email or complete our online form using the ‘Join us’... Blood test appointments *Update* the DART system is working again so we can use F Numbers and paper blood test forms. The DART system used across Kent and Medway for blood tests is currently not working. It is being investigated.In the meantime, if... Back to top Bring paper form for blood tests on Saturday 28 June If you are coming for a blood test on Saturday, 28 June, please bring a blood form with you. We are unable to use the F number.Please get the form from your GP or rebook your appointment if you can’t... Back to top Bring your paper forms to your blood test appointment If you are coming to us for a blood test, please make sure you have a paper form. If you do not have a paper form, we cannot do your blood test.We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.... Back to top Change to MedOCC and prescriptions MedOCC is no longer able to provide repeat prescriptions for medications that patients have run out of. Such requests now need to be made via 111 online, which is available 24/7. Please Google “111 online prescription” to access the service.... Back to top Community services in Kent and Medway set to strengthen under community health partnership A new partnership between Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT), HCRG Care Group (HCRG) and Medway Community Healthcare (MCH) promises to enhance community healthcare across the region. New contracts, awarded by NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board, to KCHFT... Back to top DART system down for Kent and Medway blood tests The DART system used across Kent and Medway for blood tests is not working. It is being investigated.In the meantime, if you are coming in for a blood test we are only able to see patients who have a blood... Back to top Hoo road works – allow extra time to get to appointments Please allow extra time to get to your appointments at Walter Brice.Improvement works planned in Hoo from 21 October for two weeks.Main Rd closed at the junction with Herdsdown to through traffic for the duration of the works. Diversion: Main... Back to top Issue with physio self referral forms We have been made aware that our self-referral system has not been working properly and the MSK team have not been receiving your physiotherapy self-referral forms.If you tried to refer yourself between 1st and 10th October please resubmit your form.... Back to top IT issues 27/9/2024 We are experiencing significant IT issues this morning, affecting our ability to manage enquiries and appointments.Please bear with us while we resolve these issues. We are working around the clock to get things back to normal. Thank you for your... Back to top IT update – 13 December Firstly, we want to thank our patients for their understanding and support as we have worked through our ongoing IT incident. Our staff have worked hard to maintain our services, and to provide care to our communities. We appreciate that... Back to top IT update – 5 Dec 2024 Earlier this week we told you that we detected some suspicious activity relating to our IT systems. As a precaution, we therefore disconnected our systems to protect patient and staff data.This investigation is ongoing.For you, this means:If you are coming... Back to top IT update: 17 Jan 2025 We are now in the Recovery phase of our IT incident but continue to work in business continuity across the organisation. We have approximately 40% of staff safely back online, with the number increasing every day. Clinical teams all have... Back to top MCH House closed from 24 October – 15 December Please be advised that MCH House will be temporarily closed from Friday 24 October 2025 to Monday 15 December 2025 for essential building maintenance. During this period, additional clinics will be available at our other sites to ensure continued service.We... Back to top MCH House will reopen on Monday 15 December We are pleased to announce that MCH House will reopen as scheduled on Monday 15 December.Works were completed as planned – we now have warm and cool air handling which is more efficient and improves air flow throughout the building,... Back to top New community health services contract launches in Kent and Medway A new contract, which sees adult and children’s community health services in Kent and Medway delivered by a new partnership, started this week.Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) was awarded the contract as lead provider, by NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board,... Back to top New Medway Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group We are delighted to announce the launch of the new Medway Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group on 11 September, 1:30-3pm at Rainham Christian Fellowship, The Baptist Church, Waltham Road, Twydall, Kent, ME8 6XE.The group is for any patients with pulmonary fibrosis... Back to top No blood clinics on 24 and 27 March There will be no blood clinic at Twydall Clinic on 24 March or at MCH House on 27 March. We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused.... Back to top North Dane Way road closure Part of North Dane Way in Lordswood, Chatham is closed for ten weeks for work linked to the East Hill development by Capstone Farm Country Park.From Monday 2 June, a stretch of North Dane Way in Lordswood will be undergoing... Back to top Paracetamol and pregnancy – reminder that taking paracetamol during pregnancy remains safe The UK’s Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued a drug safety update: Patients should be reminded and reassured that there is no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children. Paracetamol is recommended as the first-choice pain reliever... Back to top Recent news and wellbeing The last few weeks have seen an increase in intimidating and abusive messaging and activity across the country; and in a world of social media and ‘always on’ news, we know that for many people this feels overwhelming. This type... Back to top Resource Centre The links below will direct you to useful resources for all the adult and children’s services we provide.... Back to top Snapdragons – Christmas raffle Here are the list of prizes that could be won:Man United Signed Pennant (With Official Certificate)Arsenal Signed Pennant (With Official Certificate)Tickets to ArcelorMittal Orbit LondonFamily Tickets to Howletts Wild Animal ParkFamily Tickets to Fenn Bell ZooTickets to Copper Rivet Distillery... Back to top Stronger together Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) and Medway Community Healthcare (MCH) are exploring joining forces as one organisation.As community providers with similar visions to support people in Kent and Medway to lead their best and healthiest lives, the organisations... Back to top Tell us what you think about Kent and Medway community services coming together To better serve people across the county, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) and Medway Community Healthcare (MCH) are planning to come together to become one organisation.Our communities are changing. People are living longer, often with more complex health needs. Yet access to... Back to top Worldwide IT issues Some of our systems are impacted by the ongoing issues affecting IT worldwide. We apologise in advance for the inconvenience caused, and for any delays – please bear with us and be patient with our teams as we work through... Back to top Worldwide Microsoft outage affecting some of our systems today Some of our systems are impacted by the ongoing Microsoft issues affecting IT worldwide.We apologise in advance for the inconvenience caused, and for any delays – please bear with us and be patient with our teams as we work through... Back to top Homepage Welcome to MedwayCommunity Healthcare About us Our research We provide a widerange of high qualitycommunity services A-Z Services Book your blood test onlineThis service can only accept patients with a Medway and Swale GP. Any patients with a GP outside this area, will be asked... Back to top Advanced community practitioners Domiciliary visits and nursing and residential homesWhat we doThe Advanced Community Practitioners (ACPs) and End of Life Facilitators work closely with residents, families, care home staff and GPs, to ensure each resident receives high quality care to meet their needs... Back to top Our Services The majority of the services we provide are NHS – we’re proud to be part of the NHS family. This also means that we can provide all the staff pay and benefits that the NHS provides, and more.As a social... Back to top Self help The links below will direct you to useful resources for all the adult and children’s services we provide:Adult and childrens resource centreSpeech and language resourcesSelf help for childrenSelf help for adults... Back to top Adult Speech and language therapy Our Community Speech and Language Therapy team provides support and advice to adults with acquired communication and swallowing disorders living in Medway. This includes people living with neuro degenerative disorders such as Parkinsons Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington’s Disease, MND and... Back to top Self help for children For leaflets please click the link below.Children’s Services leafletsAre you a member of a school looking to become more educated around some of the needs of some of your students? If so please click the link the below for further... Back to top Care Homes We have launched a free new resource for care homes to use to support residents with their eating, drinking and swallowing calledthe Kent Manual for Mealtimes (KM4M). It contains detailed practical advice which is evidence-based and aligns with the CQC Single Assessment Framework for safe, effective... Back to top Services for schools Indigo Pathway now called the Indigo Behaviour and Development Pathway which includes our ASD and ADHD diagnostic service.School NursingSupporting speech, language and communication in mainstream schools. Click here >Supporting speech, language and communication needs in Medway special schools and specialist provisions.... Back to top FAQs For schools Which Children do you see on the Violet Pathway?Children who have long term conditions, who may need regular review and may need advice from a Paediatrician. Children with cerebral palsy, Downs syndrome, genetic disorders, global developmental delay and children... Back to top Make a referral – ASLT Referral criteriaIn our Community SLT team, we accept referrals for people with a Medway GP who have an acquired swallow or communication impairment.Swallow referralsPlease refer to our service if the patient has regular and ongoing signs of possible aspiration and... Back to top Anti-coagulation/warfarin service The anti-coagulation service provides a one stop shop monitoring service for people who require INR /Warfarin monitoring for more than 1 year.The service is delivered by nurses/associate practitioner and assistants.Clinics are held at various locations throughout Medway but home visits... Back to top Newsletters Snapdragons_newsletter_-_Summer_2022DownloadSnapdragons_newsletter_-_Spring_April_2022DownloadSnapdragons_Newsletter_Spring_2024Download... Back to top Bladder and bowel service About our teamThe Bladder and Bowel service provides specialist community-based management, advice and support for anyone 18 years or older with symptoms of bladder or bowel dysfunction who can attend a clinic setting or are residing in a residential care... Back to top Self help for adults The links below navigate you to the videos and leaflets provided by our adult services. If after seeing these you still have questions, please use the number provided in the leaflets and contact the service.Adult’s services videosAdult’s services leafletsRunner’s corner... Back to top MSK exercise videos Neck exercisesShoulder exercisesElbow exercisesAbdominal exercisesHip exercisesKnee exercisesAnkle exercisesBalance exercisesLanding/plyometric exercisesNerve mobility exercises... Back to top Blood test service (phlebotomy) Book your blood test onlineBlood tests are by appointment only.Please note: The service can only accept patients with a Medway and Swale GP. Any patients with a GP outside of this area, will be asked to book a test within... Back to top Chat health resources Chat Health is a secure NHS approved text messaging service. All Medway young people aged 11 – 19 can text 07480 635 786 to start a conversation with a School Nurse.Anything from relationships, mental health, bullying, alcohol, self harm, healthy eating,... Back to top Brain tumour support The group was founded 2012 and had its first meeting on 7 February 2012. The group meets once a month on the first Tuesday, and aims to offer support and information to people affected in any way by a brain... Back to top Speech and language resources The following resources can be used to support children and young people to develop their interaction and communication skills both at home and in school or college. Some of the videos may feature younger children or children with differing needs... Back to top Breast and bottle feeding We hold weekly breastfeeding and bottlefeeding clinics offering individual consultations. To book an appointment, please call the duty Health Visiting number: 0300 123 3444 (option 4).Mothers are also encouraged to access the Medway Breastfeeding Network which can offer drop-in groups... Back to top What is speech, language and communication SpeechWhen we use the term ‘speech’, we are referring to the production of sounds to form words.LanguageIn the simplest sense, we think of language as being the understanding and use of words, sentences and grammar. This involves both receptive language... Back to top Child Health Service MCH offers child health community services to children and young people from new born to 18 years for children living in Medway. If you live in Swale, you can see which services we provide in this area.If you are a... Back to top Selective mutism Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety-based disorder that affects a child’s ability to speak to specific people, in specific environments despite being able to talk freely in settings where they feel more comfortable e.g. at home with their family. For some... Back to top Children’s Dietitian’s Who we areDietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be regulated by law and governed by an ethical code, to ensure that they always work to the highest standard. We hold regular outpatient clinics in Snapdragons and Rochester Healthy Living... Back to top Stammering Stammering can be known by a variety of names including, stuttering, repeating, words getting stuck, bumpy talking, dysfluency.Up to 5% of all children go through a period of stammering between the ages of 2-4 years old. This is often around... Back to top Joint feeding clinic Infants, children and young people (CYP) seen in MCH’s Children’s Feeding Clinics can have difficulties with feeding and/or swallowing and/or have difficulties with gaining adequate nutrition and hydration in order to grow and develop in a safe and healthy way.Speech... Back to top Signing Signing for Schools and Pre-Schools Signing at Home Introduction to signingSigning vocabulary... Back to top Children’s Occupational Therapy Who we areWe are a team of qualified occupational therapists and technical instructors with specialist interests and knowledge in all activities of daily living and equipment provision. We work with children who have difficulties with; fine motor skills, visual perceptual... Back to top Signing at home The MCH Children’s Speech and Language Therapy team have developed this video series for parents/carers. Adults are encouraged to use signing alongside spoken language (sign as you say the key words) with children who are developing their talking. For more... Back to top Children’s Physiotherapy We are a team of qualified physiotherapists and technical instructors with specialist interests and knowledge in movement patterns and difficulties with a range of neurological conditions. We work with children who have difficulties with movement, posture and gait. We work... Back to top Signing for schools and pre-schools The MCH Children’s Speech and Language Therapy team have developed this video series for our education colleagues in schools and pre-schools. Staff are encouraged to use signing alongside spoken language (sign as you say the key words) with children who... Back to top Deafness What is deafness?Deafness is different for every child.Some children can hear louder sounds (for example, a dog barking) but not softer/quieter sounds (for example, birds outside).Other children have a greater hearing loss and do not hear louder soundsSome children have difficulty... Back to top Neurological Who we areA team of physiotherapists who have a specialist interest and knowledge of a wide range of neurological and developmental difficulties. We work with other children’s therapy services (eg- paediatrician’s, Occupational therapists, speech and language therapists) to provide a... Back to top Children’s Musculoskeletal Who we areWe are a team of physiotherapists and podiatrists who specialise in assessing and treating children with biomechanical issues. We see children from birth – age of 16.- Our MSK team have specialist knowledge and skills to enables them... Back to top Types of hearing loss Sensorineural hearing lossSome children have sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) – this usually means that the cochlea (part of the inner ear) is not working effectively. Less often this means that the auditory nerve (the route from the inner ear to... Back to top Children’s Podiatry Who we areWe are registered with the Healthcare Professions Council and hold either a Master’s Degree or a Science Degree in our chosen field. We are actively involved in continued learning at local and national level to ensure the best... Back to top Speech sounds Speech sounds are the building blocks of words and are the top of the communication pyramid. Speech sound development is important because a change in a single sound can completely change the meaning of the word. For example, if a... Back to top Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Who we areWe are a team of speech and language therapists and technical instructors with specialist interests and knowledge in all communication related disorders. We work across several clinical sites and will see your child for assessment and treatment at... Back to top Core standards These core standards are aimed to help parents and professionals identify areas that a child may be having difficulties with and explore appropriate strategies through practise and play.Core standards has a holistic focus and includes support with sensory, physical and... Back to top Foundation skills for communication To be able to communicate with others we need to be able to focus and attend to what someone is saying. We also need develop skills to enable us to interact with those around us. These skills can include developing... Back to top Parent referral form This form is intended for use by parents only. If you are a professional referring a child in please use the Referral form –professional ... Back to top Childrens nursing Who we areThe Children’s Community Nursing Service is an experienced team of children’s nurses who provide nursing care, advice and support to children with acute and chronic illnesses. We work with other specialist community health care teams, local and specialist... Back to top Understanding and using spoken language Understanding spoken language can sometimes be referred to as ‘receptive language’ or ‘comprehension’ of language. In simple terms, this is ‘understanding what words mean’. Children develop their understanding of the meaning of words by hearing the word used at the... Back to top Antenatal and Postnatal depression Who we areHealth Visitors visit families before the baby is born and afterwards we monitor health and wellbeing of families with children up to seven years old. Part of our work is to help parents manage their emotional health.What we... Back to top Understanding information carrying words/key words An information carrying word (ICW) also known as ‘key word’, is a word that carries meaning in an instruction. For a word to count as an ICW or key word the child has to make a ‘choice’ of some sort to... Back to top Holding hands Welcome to Holding Hands, the page that guides parents to the right support groups depending on their situation. Here you will find groups that will provide:Please click on the relevant buttons below, to view which groups can help you. Additional support School... Back to top Using AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) includes all forms of communication that supports or replaces speech. AAC enables children and young people to express their thoughts, needs and ideas. Using AAC will not impact on speech development. Research suggests AAC supports... Back to top Children’s feeding clinics Infants and children and young people (CYP) seen in MCH’s Children’s Feeding Clinics can have difficulties with feeding and/or swallowing and/or have difficulties with gaining adequate nutrition and hydration in order to grow and develop in a safe and healthy... Back to top Teenager activities Jimmys Tennis CIO Community SupportSport, exercise and fun games based around many variations of the sport of tennisIncludes;Touch tennis, Tennis Football, Pickleball, Table Tennis, Walking Tennis and Tennis to MusicCommunity Tennis Programmes, After School sessionsSchool Sports leadershipsWell Being Adults and... Back to top School age activities Find a youth clubFind a youth club or centre near you:https://www.medway.gov.uk/directory/17/find_a_youth_club_or_centreSHINEYouth activities for young people with additional needs including life-skill workshops Wednesdays 6pm to 8.30pm at The Youth Hub Woodlands Road ME7 2BXCubs, Beavers and ScoutsLearn new skills, make new... Back to top What to do in an emergency Non-urgent advice: 111111 is the free non-emergency contact number to call if you are unwell out of hours. You will speak to a trained advisor who will ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms. They will then... Back to top Online resources Young MindsMood JuiceMindAnxiety BCGet Self HelpSelf-Help AnxietyBig White WallMind FreshOAR – brothers, sisters and autismOAR – Autism, my sibling and meAnxietyhttp://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/anxiety.htmAnxiety management, relaxation and deep breathing techniquesRecommended websites where valuable information is available to support the emotional wellbeing of children,... Back to top Right Care, Right Person – mental health and the emergency services Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) is an operational model developed by Humberside Police that changes the way the emergency services respond to calls involving concerns about mental health. It is in the process of being rolled out across the UK... Back to top Books to read The Huge Bag of Worries– Virginia IronsideLittle Meerkat’s Big Panic – Jane EvansAngry Arthur – Haiwyn Oram and Satoshi KitamuraSilly Billy– Anthony Browne (Worry Dolls)How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk – Joanna Faber... Back to top Early years activities Stacey Bhattal’s ClassHempstead Valley Shopping CentreVenue: Community Room (Above outside food court), Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3PDDays: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdaywww.babysensory.comEmail: medway@babysensory.co.ukWhat’s on at the library?Lego clubs, Baby Bounce, pop in and play and many more! Visit https://www.medway.gov.uk/librariesLittle ChefsOur free fun-filled cooking groups for... Back to top Our Board The Medway Community Healthcare Board is responsible for providing strategic overview and assurance and is formed of executive and non-executive directors. We have undertaken checks on all Board directors and are able to provide assurance of compliance with the fit... Back to top Additional support Making MiraclesDeliver a professional counselling service for trauma and loss to improve emotional well being and reduce mental health issues. This service is free and usually lasts for 6 weeks. We receive referrals from medical staff, other charities and also take... Back to top Information about me Access to your health recordsThe General Data Protection Regulation allows you to view or obtain a copy of the personal information we hold about you, this may be held on a computer or manually. This is called a subject access... Back to top School nursing Who we areWe are a team of multiskilled professionals dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of school aged children living in Medway. Our School Health team is made up of; Specialist School Nurses, School Staff Nurses, Emotional Wellbeing Practitioners,... Back to top Subject access request application under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Persons aged 13+ with capacity must completeTo find out how we use this information, our security and your rights visit our privacy page.You will see a thank you page once the form has been submitted. If you do not see... Back to top Toileting Children of all ages can be affected by toileting difficulties (wetting at night, wetting during the day, soiling, constipation and thread worms). Toileting difficulties can sometimes be a sign of another health or emotional need. If you are worried that... Back to top Freedom of Information Act 2000 Requests under the ActThe Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2000 provides public access to information held by public authorities.It does this in two ways:public authorities are obliged to publish certain information about their activitiesmembers of the public are entitled to... Back to top Healthy Lifestyle Healthy lifestyles means making positive changes to boost your child’s physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. For children this means eating a balanced diet, 60 minutes of exercise a day, spending time having fun with family and friends, getting enough... Back to top Healthy relationships and growing up Healthy lifestyles means making positive changes to boost your child’s physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. For children this means eating a balanced diet, 60 minutes of exercise a day, spending time having fun with family and friends, getting enough... Back to top Infection Control Welcome to our Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) webpage. Infection prevention and control is essential in ensuring that patients, visitors, and staff remain protected from healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) during your time with us—whether you’re visiting our facilities, receiving care at... Back to top Emotional wellbeing Children 5-10 years Young people (11-19 years) Find out more As part of our emotional wellbeing service we offer short term therapeutic interventions for young people aged between 5 to 19 who live in Medway.Our service is for those who have recently started... Back to top Same sex accommodation We believe every patient has the right to receive high quality care that is safe, effective and respects their privacy and dignity. Medway Community Healthcare is committed to ensuring every patient is cared for in single sex accommodation, this helps... Back to top Children 5-10 years old Children 5-10 years Young people (11-19 years) Find out more Feeling worried?Feeling worried can be a scary time for everyone no matter how old you are. Sometimes it can feel very overwhelming, like your thoughts are swirling around your head, similar to you... Back to top
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