YOUNG people can take up a new text messaging service to receive confidential health advice from school nurses in Cumbria.
ChatHealth, a free service for 11 to 19-years-olds, has been launched county-wide by Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The scheme was first rolled out in West Cumbria in the summer and from this month schools across the county are promoting the service to their students.
Young people can text 07480 635 458 to contact a school nurse for advice and support that they may need on a wide variety of issues from bullying and sexual health, to emotional well-being, smoking and general health issues.
Those sending a text remain anonymous. The only instance when the nurses may need to know the identity of the young person is if they believe the student is at risk.
ChatHealth is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm throughout the year. Young people sending a text outside these hours will have their message picked up the next working day.
The service has been commissioned by Cumbria County Council.
It is hoped that the confidential service will encourage young people to get in touch with any health questions or any issues they are having which they may feel reluctant to talk about face to face.
The conversation can continue face to face if the student would like to.
The trust is also looking for young people to act as champions for ChatHealth.
The school nursing team have been visiting secondary schools to promote the service. Today they have been at Walney School and they will visit again tomorrow.
Donna Moore, a community specialist practitioner with the trust said: "ChatHealth is a free and confidential service for 11 to 19-year-olds.
"It was launched in the west of the county to start with and it went very well. The uptake in the south is already good since the start of term."
Dave Cubiss, the deputy headteacher at Walney School, said: "I think it's a really useful service for the students to get advice about health. It's confidential and instant. They can be signposted in the right direction."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here