A CONFIDENTIAL advice service is aiming to help young people in Lancashire who may be struggling with a range of issues throughout the lockdown period.

ChatHealth, which is run by Virgin Care, will provide school nurses to be on hand to provide help and advice to 11 to 19 year olds who may be worried by a variety of difficult subjects.

These issues can range from smoking, alcohol and drug abuse to bullying, self-harm, puberty and problems with friends and family.

The service's professional lead Charlotte Forward said: “Our ChatHealth service provides important help and advice to young people whatever they may be facing and we fully understand how that is extremely important during lockdown when they won’t have the support of their school friends or teachers and others around them and want to speak to someone.”

Young people will be able to use the service to talk in confidence with a nurse on any of these issues, which may be worrying them and can access it from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm excluding bank holidays.

The service is not new, however, the company say that they are aware that, with young people forced to stay at home due to the pandemic, they may feel they have few other sources of confidential advice.

The East and Central Lancashire ChatHealth service can be contacted on 07507 330 510.