NHS LifeCheck is a simple, easy-to-use, online health assessment questionnaire that will help people assess and manage their own health through the major life stages and beyond. It takes the user through a four-step process: a risk assessment questionnaire; personalised results; goal setting and behaviour change; and support and reminders.
This is an on-line questionnaire that can be accessed through the ‘NHS Choices’ website: www.babylifecheck.co.uk by parents and carers of babies aged between 5 to 8 months. It provides information and support that helps them to keep their babies happy, healthy and safe. The toolkit covers baby’s development, talking and playing together, feeding and healthy teeth, baby safety, sleep routine, immunisation and becoming a parent/carer.
Following on from research with target audience groups a ministerial decision was made to change the on-line service to NHS Baby LifeCheck and the site was national launched in August 2009. The NHS Baby LifeCheck is based on the Department of Health's 'Birth to five' publication and has been developed by the Department of Health in consultation with doctors, parents, carers, nurses, midwives and health visitors.
If you would like to read more about the Early Years Lifecheck the following documents from the NHS may be of interest to you:
This is an on-line questionnaire that can be accessed through the ‘NHS Choices’ website: www.teenlifecheck.co.uk by young people aged between 12 and 15 years. The toolkit covers the following ‘lifestyle’ topics i.e. being active, healthy eating, drugs and solvents, alcohol, smoking and safe sex. It also includes a range of topics relating to ‘feelings’ i.e. bullying, feelings about oneself, about school, being healthy, someone to talk to, home life, feeling safe and crime.
The Department of Health developed NHS Teen LifeCheck with a wide range of stakeholders including key voluntary and expert organisations, as well as other Government departments like the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Home Office. Young people have been the key driver of the NHS Teen LifeCheck programme and have been involved at every stage of its development.
The revised version of the NHS Teen LifeCheck was launched in 83 ‘Communities for Health’ via Local Authority and Spearhead areas in late 2008; and the site was nationally launched in June 2009. If you would like to read more about the Teen Lifecheck the following documents from the NHS may be of interest to you:
NHS Teen LifeCheck Flyer (PDF, 270.9 KB)
National events
In 2008 two events were arranged by the NHS LifeChecks team where representatives from Newcastle found out more about the NHS Baby and Teen LifeChecks. The first event took place in London on the 10 July 2008, with a follow on session taking place in Leeds on 15 October 2008. Slides from these events are available to download below, although it should be noted that some minor changes have taken place on national plans as the toolkits have been developed further since that period:
Local events
An event was held with Newcastle practitioners on the 26 November 2008 at the Old Assembly Rooms that gave background information on the LifeChecks initiative. The session also generated a great deal of discussion and action planning for the coming year.
NHS LifeChecks in Newcastle Presentation 26 November 2008 (PDF, 645KB)
Lisa Nevens, Wansbeck Council and Karen Walker, Blyth Valley Council spoke at the event about their experiences during the NHS Teen LifeCheck pilot in Northumberland. A forthcoming NHS LifeCheck North East Event is to take place on 22 January 2009 that aims to share best practice for embedding the toolkit into every day working practice and this is to be held at the County Hotel, Newcastle. Workshop information from the session will be available to view online soon. Â
LifeChecks can offer support to parents/carers who sometimes just want a reassurance that they are ‘doing things right’ for their babies. For young people it can encourage them to adopt positive life style choices by being healthy, active and raising their self-esteem. The LifeChecks also offer a range of useful information and can signpost people to national and local services that provide further help and support where needed. On a local level it does this by directing them to the Newcastle Family Services Directory: www.newcastlefis.org.ukÂ
Key stakeholder engagement and joint alliances by various service providers will be needed to increase the promotion of and access to LifeChecks in Newcastle. Some services will have different ways of working and cultural backgrounds; however past experience has shown that strategic partnership working often gives positive results. It is anticipated this collaborative approach can be achieved in order to embed LifeChecks into our local services.
Parents and carers can feel very isolated and sometimes anxious when their baby reaches 5 month as recent research shows this is a crucial period when visits from health providers, friends and family naturally decline. Many questions can arise on weaning (81%), sleeping (42%) and safety in the home (22%) Source: National Childbirth Trust, UK’s leading charity for parents.
Young people can often be stereotyped by a minority of bad press relating to drugs, alcohol, criminal damage etc. They can also be subject to peer pressure by friends to become ‘one of the gang’.Â
NHS LifeChecks that may help support people through key changes and stages in their lives.
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By promoting, providing access to and embedding LifeChecks (where feasible) across as many local service providers as is possible in the Newcastle area.Â
We hope to achieve this in collaboration with e.g. Sure Start Children’s Centres, Health Visiting,   Midwifery, Schools, Youth Centres, Youth Offending Team, Connextions, Libraries, GP surgeries, Customer Service Centres and with other voluntary services such as Streetwise etc. As we progress it is anticipated that signposting to local services through the Families Information Service (FIS) will provide high quality, accurate and timely information and advice to support parents/carers and young people.
Dee Ford
LifeChecks Projects Manager
Email:denise.ford@newcastle.gov.uk