Health
If you've been affected by the issues in EastEnders check here to find what further resources are available.
Blood Donation
Do something amazing – give blood. 96% of us rely on the other 4% to give blood. Please don’t leave it to someone else.
For more information or to register as a blood donor:
0300 123 23 23
www.blood.co.uk
Details for the other Blood Services in the UK are:
Scottish National Blood transfusion Service
0845 90 90 999
www.scotblood.co.uk
Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service
028 9032 1414
www.nibts.org
Welsh Blood Service (South Wales)
0800 25 22 66
www.welsh-blood.org.uk
Brain Injury
The Child Brain Injury Trust provides support and information for anyone affected by childhood acquired brain injury.
Phone: 0303 303 2248
www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk
The Children’s Trust Brain Injury Hub
The Children’s Trust Brain Injury Hub includes a guide to the different kinds of brain injury and how they can happen and a forum to share experiences with other families.
www.braininjuryhub.co.uk
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust
The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust (BIRT) helps people regain the skills lost as a result of brain injury – whether caused by road accident, assault, stroke or illness- to enable them to live as independently as possible.
Phone: 01924 896100
www.birt.co.uk
Connect is a national charity, whose vision is a world where people with aphasia can find opportunity and fulfilment. They work to promote services, opportunities and a better quality of life for people living with aphasia.
Headway is the Brain Injury Association, a UK based charity set up to give help and support to brain injury survivors and their families through care centres and the promotion of development in medical services concerning brain injury.
If you have a question about brain injury you can call the confidential freephone helpline on 0808 800 2244.
Brain Tumour
The Brain Tumour Charity offers information and support to anyone affected by a brain tumour, including a support line, local support groups, online one-to-one support and online fact sheets.
Phone: 0808 800 0004
www.thebraintumourcharity.org
Brain Tumour Research offers information about brain tumours, symptoms and treatments, and details of support groups.
www.braintumourresearch.org
Cancer Research UK provides easy to understand information to anyone affected or concerned about cancer.
Phone: 0808 800 4040 (weekdays 9am-5pm)
www.cancerresearchuk.org
Macmillan Cancer Support provides medical, practical, emotional and financial support tocancer patients, their carers friends and family.
Phone: 0808 808 0000
www.macmillan.org.uk
Burns and Facial Disfigurement
Changing Faces is a leading UK charity that supports and represents people who have disfigurements to the face, hand or body from any cause. Contact them by phone on 0300 012 0275 (calls are free from landlines and most mobiles), email [email protected] or visit www.changingfaces.org.uk
The Katie Piper Foundation is a charity dedicated to improving burns rehabilitation, helping anyone with burns and scars throughout their recovery. This includes advice on scar management and access to free specialist treatments, workshops and social activities which help to establish a peer support network. More information can be found on their website www.katiepiperfoundation.org.uk
Let’s Face It aims to offer help and support to those affected by facial disfigurement. They seek to offer friendship on a one to one basis; to link families, friends and professionals and to provide continuing education to medical, nursing, allied health professionals concerning the needs of people with facial disfigurement. Contact them by phone on 01843 833724, 24 hours a day or log onto www.lets-face-it.org.uk
Cancer
Action Cancer is a local charity in Northern Ireland offering counselling, complementary therapy and life coaching to anyone affected by cancer. It offers a breast screening service for women aged 40-49 and 70 plus and offers M.O.T. Health Checks to males and females aged 16 plus. www.actioncancer.org
Information on cancer, the risks, symptoms and diagnosis at BBC Science.
Breakthrough Breast Cancer is dedicated to saving lives through improving early diagnosis, developing new treatments and preventing all types of breast cancer. Their website includes information about their work into breast cancer detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention, as well as an interactive guide to NHS breast screening and award winning health information on breast cancer signs and symptoms, risk factors, and family history.
Phone: 08080 100 200
Breast Cancer Care is just a phone call or mouse-click away for anyone living with and beyond breast cancer. Their free helpline, information-packed website and online discussion forums offer a friendly ear and expert guidance. Across the UK, they also offer skilled emotional and practical support through a range of confidential, face-to-face services, helping people every step of the way.
Helpline: 0808 800 6000
Breast Cancer Now's website contains information on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and how it is treated. www.breastcancernow.org
Cancer Hair Care provide services and support to people coping with hair loss, mainly due to chemotherapy treatment. They offer help and advice on a broad range of specialist cancer-related hair care subjects.
Cancer Research UK carries out research to improve understanding of the disease and find out how to prevent, diagnose and treat different kinds of cancer. It also runs a patient information site, CancerHelp UK, which provides easy to understand information to the public. Anyone affected or concerned about cancer can also call their team of specialist nurses.
Helpline: 0808 800 4040 (weekdays 9am-5pm) Website: www.cancerresearchuk.org
Cancer Support Scotland provides emotional and practical support on a one-to-one basis and through community-based groups to anyone affected by cancer, including family, friends and carers. This includes offering a range of free complementary and counselling therapies. Phone: 0800 652 4531 www.cancersupportscotland.org
CoppaFeel! is a breast cancer awareness charity which focuses on promoting early detection of breast cancer by encouraging people under 35 to regularly check their breasts.
Their website tells you what to look out for, and offers a free reminder service by text, email or app. www.coppafeel.org
Flat Friends is a group that has been set up to promote living without reconstruction after mastectomy, due to either a breast cancer diagnosis or preventative surgery. Find more info and join the group on their website.
http://www.flatfriends.org.uk/
Jo‘s Cervical Cancer Trust (Jo‘s Trust) is the only UK charity dedicated to women and their families affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities.
Macmillan Cancer Support wants to make sure no one faces cancer alone. The charity provides medical, practical, emotional and financial support to cancer patients, their carers friends and family. You can get information from its website, emotional support through its telephone helpline and online community or benefits advice and one-off grants to help with the costs of cancer.
Helpline: 0808 808 0000
Marie Curie is the leading charity in the UK for terminal illness. We're here to help with practical information and emotional support. Marie Curie support services are open 8am-6pm Monday to Friday and 11am-5pm on Saturday.
Call free on 0800 090 2309 or speak to us via online chat.
www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support
National Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline
The National Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline exists to ensure that those worried about their family history have access to full information on all the options currently available, referrals where appropriate, and full peer support for whatever option is chosen, as well as to ensure that those affected have the opportunity to make informed choices. It is also an important role of the Helpline to reassure those worrying unnecessarily.
Helpline: 01629 813000 (24 hours a day)
The No Surrender Charitable Trust is a cancer charity which provides an online cancer related social network and a fellowship which researches into cures for pancreatic cancer.
Ovarian Cancer Action provides information for women and GPs about the risk factors, symptoms and treatment options to enable informed and rapid action.
Pancreatic Cancer UK is the only organisation that provides support to pancreatic cancer patients and their carers as well as undertaking vital research and raising awareness.
Positive Action On Cancer is a free professional one-to-one counselling service for anyone affected by a diagnosis of cancer or another life threatening illness.
Prostate Cancer Support provides telephone and e-mail support to men with prostate cancer, their wives, partners and families, people who are concerned, and those who want to know more.
Helpline support is given by volunteers who have themselves been affected by prostate cancer. Through the helpline you can be put in touch with contacts who have personal experience of the main treatments and stages of prostate cancer.
Helpline: 0845 6010766
Email: [email protected]
Prostate Scotland works to increase awareness and improve education, support and provision for prostate issues across Scotland. They provide a range of information for men and their families and partners in Scotland about prostate cancer and prostate disease. They have loads of information on their website at www.prostatescotland.org.uk or contact them at [email protected]
Prostate Cancer UK offers on line chat and a helpline staffed by specialist nurses for anyone with concerns or questions about prostate cancer.
Helpline: 0800 074 8383
www.prostatecanceruk.org
Target Ovarian Cancer offers range of information and support including symptoms, new diagnosis and choices, and living with and beyond ovarian cancer.
The Haven is a national breast cancer support charity with centres in Hereford, Leeds and London. The Haven offers a personalised, in-depth programme of psychological support and complementary therapies entirely free of charge, to breast cancer patients. Each patient can access up to ten free therapy sessions designed to meet their needs which complement their medical treatment. For those who cannot reach a Haven help is also available through a Haven at Home DVD, over the telephone and through the website.
For more information visit their website or call 020 7384 0000.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
The national campaign to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by Carbon Monoxide.
CO-Awareness is a registered charity that supports the many victims of Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning and other products of combustion (POC), their families and friends.
Understand how to be Gas Safe at home - only use a Gas Safe registered engineer and always check the Gas Safe ID card.
HSE - Health & Safety Executive
HSE is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness.
NHS - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Information regarding the symptoms, causes and treatments for Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
Cardiac Arrest
CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) offers help, support and counselling to families where there has been a sudden cardiac death of an apparently fit and healthy young person (Sudden Death Syndrome)
Phone: 01737 363 222
Carers
Carers Trust provides support for carers, young adult carers and young carers, through a network of carers centres, schemes and interactive online services. .
Phone: 0844 800 4361
Carers UK is a charity set up to support the millions of people who look after an older, disabled or seriously ill family member or friend, providing support, information and advice about caring and campaigning to make life better for carers.
If you need advice about your caring situation you can call or email.
Advice Line: 0808 808 7777 (weekdays 10am-4pm)
Cystic Fibrosis
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is a national charity dedicated to all aspects of cystic fibrosis (CF). They fund vital research to improve and lengthen the lives of people living with the condition, driving up standards of care and providing support to people with CF and their families.
Helpline: 0300 373 1000
www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk
Dyslexia
Dyslexia Action is a national charity that takes action to change the lives of people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. The charity specialises in assessments, teaching, training and consultancy. It also develops and distributes literacy support materials and undertakes research.
Eating Disorders
Anorexia and Bulimia Care provides ongoing care, emotional support and practical guidance for anyone affected by eating disorders.
Phone: 03000 11 12 13
anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk
Beat provides information, help and support for people with eating disorders or difficulties with food, weight and shape.
Phone (18+): 0845 634 1414; (under 25): 0845 634 7650 (Mon-Wed, 1-4)
www.b-eat.co.uk
SupportLine offers confidential emotional support to children, young adults and adults on a wide range of subjects, including eating disorders.
Phone 01708 765200.
www.supportline.org.uk
TheSite provide non-judgmental support and information for 16 to 25 year-olds on everything from sex and exam stress to debt and drugs eating disorders and self-harm.
www.thesite.org
Epilepsy
Epilepsy Action can provide information and advice on all aspects of epilepsy (including misdiagnosis). They offer a wide range of services and information to support anyone affected by epilepsy. Contact their freephone on 0808 800 5050, to their text message helpline on 07537 410 044, or visit
Please call our confidential epilepsy helpline on 01494 601 400 if you would like to speak to someone about epilepsy. The helpline is open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm and Wednesdays 9am-8pm.
Young Epilepsy is a national charity supporting children and young people aged 25 and under living in the UK with epilepsy. For help or information, please contact the Young Epilepsy Helpline on 01342 831342
email [email protected]
Liver Disease
The British Liver Trust is the national charity for adults affected by liver conditions in the UK, providing information and support. The Trust provides a comprehensive website with information on all aspects of adult liver disease, a helpline for general enquiries on liver health, contact details of support groups throughout the country and a range of information leaflets which are available by contacting the Trust or can be downloaded from the Trust website. They also campaign on liver related issues such as alcohol, viral hepatitis, obesity and transplant.
You can find out if you are at risk of liver disease by taking their online Love Your Liver Health Screener.
Information Line: 01425 481320, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm).
Kidney Failure and Transplants
Give a Kidney is a charity that aims to raise awareness of altruistic living kidney donation. They can be contacted via the Give a Kidney website, or by writing to:
Give a Kidney – One’s Enough,
PO Box 65885
London
N7 1BR
Kidney Research UK is a charity dedicated to funding life-saving research into the treatment, prevention and management of kidney disease. The Charity is also committed to improving patient care and raising awareness of kidney disease. Contact their Health Information service on: 0845 300 1499 or email: [email protected]. Alternatively, please visit : www.kidneyresearchuk.org. We've also been working hard researching Dexter and Sam's storyline, and spoke to experts the reality of organ donation.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT)
NHS Blood and Transplant is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. Its remit includes the provision of a reliable, efficient supply of blood and associated services to the NHS in England and North Wales. It is also the organ donor organisation for the whole of the UK and is reponsible for matching and allocating donated organs.
For information on organ donation, and to join the NHS Organ Donor Register:
0300 123 23 23.
www.organdonation.nhs.uk
The NKF (National Kidney Federation)
The NKF(National Kidney Federation) is the largest Kidney Patient Charity in the UK, run by Kidney Patients, for Kidney Patients. The charity lobbies for improvements to renal provision and treatment and provides National patients support Services ( Helpline, Advocacy and website) to 60,000 End stage CKD patients and 2 million Early stage CKD patients. They can be contacted by The National Kidney Federation website.
Mental Health
Bipolar UK supports individuals, their families and carers affected by bipolar, providing information and support groups.
Phone: 0333 323 3880
www.bipolaruk.org
Bipolar Scotland provides information, support and advice for people affected by bipolar disorder.
Phone: 0141 560 2050
www.bipolarscotland.org.uk
Access information on a wide range of mental health issues via the BBC Science website.
Community Advice & Listening Line
The Community Advice & Listening Line offers emotional support and information & literature on mental health and related matters to the people of Wales. Anyone concerned about their own mental health or that of a relative or friend can access the service. Contact 0800 132 737, text "help" to 81066 or visit the Community Advice & Listening Line website.
Depression Alliance works specifically with people who experience depression and anxiety. They provide support and understanding to those who are affected, including friends and family of sufferers. They operate a national network of self-help groups, an online support forum and publish a quarterly magazine to ensure that nobody suffers alone. They also campaign to raise awareness and reduce stigma about depression.
Information pack request line: 0845 123 23 20
Email: [email protected]
www.depressionalliance.org
Mind provides advice and support on a range of topics including types of mental health problem, legislation and details of local help and support in England and Wales.
Phone: 0300 123 3393 (weekdays 9am - 6pm)
www.mind.org.uk
YoungMinds is a charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing of children and young people. Visit their website for information, support and advice or call the Parents Information Service helpline on 0808 802 5544, Monday to Friday between 9.30am –4.30pm.
Niamh Mental Wellbeing (Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health) provides local services to support the mental health and wellbeing of people across Northern Ireland. Through Beacon, they provide day, housing and advocacy support for anyone with experience of mental illness as well as support groups and learning programmes. Through Carecall they provide access to counselling and psychological therapies as well as mental health and wellbeing programmes, mainly in the workplace, colleges and higher education.
Phone: 028 9032 8474
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.niamhwellbeing.org
A website giving information, advice and support to relatives and friends of people with psychosis, including people who have schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
The Scottish Association for Mental Health
Scottish Association for Mental Health exist to provide help, information and support; to campaign on behalf of people with mental health problems and to raise money to fund their work. They operate an information service from Monday to Friday between 2pm and 4pm. Information service staff and volunteers can answer general mental health enquiries, advise you on your rights and signpost you to your local services.
Phone: 0800 917 3466
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.samh.org.uk
SANE are a UK-wide charity set up to improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness.
They has three objectives: to raise awareness and combat stigma about mental illness, educating and campaigning to improve mental health services and to provide care and emotional support.
Contact them by phone on 0845 767 8000 between 6pm and 11pm, or log onto the SANE website.
Sexual Health
Marie Stopes International is a leading independent provider of sexual and reproductive healthcare services. Through its network of health facilities and the 24 hour helpline ‘One Call’, Marie Stopes International offers contraception, STI and HIV testing and referral, unplanned pregnancy counselling, abortion information and advice and health screening, as well as non-judgemental, non-directive information and counselling for all of their services. NHS and private appointments are available.
One Call Helpline: 0845 300 8090 (24 hours)
Stroke
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland improves the quality of life for people in Scotland affected by chest, heart and stroke illness, through medical research, influencing public policy, advice and information and support in the community.
The Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Advice Line offers a direct link to confidential, professional advice from trained nurses who can answer your questions and offer a listening ear. The number is now FREE from landlines and mobiles.
Advice Line: 0808 801 0899
Different Strokesis a national charity which provides support to stroke survivors of working age and children. The charity provides practical information packs with information on services; benefits and rights; work after stroke. A child pack is also available. Its services also include the StrokeLine which is a helpline and online chat facility; a network of regional exercise and support groups; a regular newsletter with information on treatment and aids; and access to counselling services.
StrokeLine: 0845 130 7172 or 01908 317618
Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke
Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke's vision is a Northern Ireland where chest, heart and stroke illnesses have been substantially reduced and where those affected receive high quality services to meet their needs. Contact NICHS on 028 9032 0184 or log onto www.nichs.org.uk
The Stroke Association is a charity that supports stroke survivors in making their best possible recovery, works to improve stroke care and funds research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke. To find out more about recognising the early warning signs of stroke, ways to reduce your risk of stroke, support services available and information for carers, please visit www.stroke.org.uk, email [email protected] or call the Stroke Helpline on 0303 303 3100 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm).
A mini-stroke (also known as TIA or transient ischaemic attack) is the same as a stroke, except that the symptoms last for a short amount of time and no longer than 24 hours.
The FAST test can help identify the signs of a mini-stroke:
- FACIAL weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
- ARM weakness: Can the person raise both arms?
- SPEECH problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
- TIME to call 999
If you, or someone else, show any of the signs of stroke you must call 999. There is no way of knowing whether you are having a mini-stroke or a stroke when the symptoms first start, so you need to seek immediate medical help.
If you think you have had mini-stroke and have not sought medical attention, see your GP urgently.
Twins and Multiple Birth
The Twins and Multiple Births Association
The Twins and Multiple Births Association (Tamba) supports families with twins, triplets and more across the UK. They directly help parents and professionals to meet the unique challenges that multiple birth families face.
Their free helpline Twinline supports families and carers of twins, triplets and more, and is open every day from 10am to 1pm and 7pm to 10pm.
Twinline telephone number: 0800 138 0509
