The call comes in the run up to national self care week, which begins on Monday and is being supported by NHS Norfolk and Waveney. During the week, people are being encouraged to think about the technology available to help them manage their health, including:

* NHS Choices (www.nhs.uk) which can help you make lifestyle changes such as losing weight, stopping smoking or getting fit. It also has information on a wide range of illnesses and long term conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart problems. NHS Choices can help people who have been diagnosed with a long term condition to understand more about managing the condition and how lifestyle changes could help. The website also includes films showing how others with long term conditions look after themselves.

* Visiting NHS Direct (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk) gives you the chance to check your symptoms and get advice on conditions which may be causing concern. Based on the information you give about your symptoms, the site will also tell you the best course of action to take, from managing the symptoms yourself to getting medical help. Self care is the best option in the majority of case, but NHS Direct can give people extra confidence that it’s the right thing for them to do.

* LifeCheck (www.nhs.uk/lifecheck) is a free service which gives bespoke advice on changes you can make to improve your health. After filling in information about your age, weight, height and lifestyle, the programme will tell you which aspects of your lifestyle are good and where and how improvements can be made.

NHS Direct has an app which you can download free from www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk, while there are also Android and iPhone versions available. Alternatively, you can find your nearest pharmacy by texting the word ‘pharmacy’ to 64746.

For more information about self care, visit www.gywpct.nhs.uk or www.norfolk.nhs.uk and click on “your health”.