Find support for yourself

Here I’ll set out links to sources of information & support from the NHS, national charities & other organisations. These are just the ones I’ve stumbled across so far (or got round to inputting), so please feel free to let me know of any others you find useful (contact me via the “About” page).

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EMAIL SUPPORT & HELPLINES

You can access email & phone support from the following:

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RETHINK – “Our advice team provide mental health information & advice on practical problems. Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm.” 0300 5000 927

SAMARITANS – Provides email help via their website (samaritans.org) & phone support. 08457 90 90 90

SANE – “Sane’s helpline is open from 6pm-11pm every night of the week. Call if you need some support.” 0845 767 8000

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NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CHARITIES & RELATED

  • ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY (alzheimers.org.uk)
  • BABCP BIPOLAR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (babcp.com/Membership/SIG/Bipolar.aspx) – “A core principle of the BD-SIG is that the work we do should be directed towards service-user valued outcomes.” Twitter: BABCPBipolarSIG
  • CENTRE FOR MENTAL HEALTH (centreformentalhealth.org.uk) – UK mental health policy & research organisation, focussing on employment & criminal justice (formerly the Sainsbury Centre). Twitter: @CentreforMH
  • DEPRESSION ALLIANCE (depressionalliance.org) – “UK’s leading charity for people living with depression.” Twitter: DepressionAll
  • FLORID
  • HELP FOR HOARDERS – “Help for compulsive hoarders and their families” – includes lots of links and self-help resources
  • INVICTUS TRUST (invictustrust.co.uk) – for children with mental health problems
  • MENCAP (mencap.org.uk) – Learning disability charity
  • THE MENTAL ELF (thementalelf.net) – “I will help you keep up to date with interesting & reliable mental health research & guidance. No misinformation, no bias, no spin – just what you need!” Twitter: @Mental_Elf
  • MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION (mentalhealth.org.uk) – “The UK charity for everyone’s mental health, incorporating the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities.” Twitter: @MHF_tweets
  • MIND (mind.org.uk) – “We’re here to make sure anyone with a mental health problem has somewhere to turn for advice & support.” @MindCharity
  • NATIONAL VOICES (nationalvoices.org.uk) – “The coalition of health & social care charities working to strengthen the voice of patients.” Twitter: @NVTweeting
  • PATIENTS FIRST (patientsfirst.org.uk) – “If you care about patient safety, support our campaign to lobby government for a more open NHS culture.” Twitter: @PatientsFirstUK
  • PATIENT OPINION (patientopinion.org.uk) – “Share the story of your care and help make health care better. Every voice matters!”. Twitter: @patientopinion
  • RAPE CRISIS (rapecrisis.org.uk)
  • RETHINK MENTAL ILLNESS (rethink.org) – “Helping everyone affected by mental illnesses such as schizophrenia & bipolar disorder to recover a better quality of life.” @Rethink_ (remember the underscore)
  • REVOLVING DOORS (revolving-doors.org.uk)
  • SAMARITANS (samaritans.org)
  • SANE (sane.org.uk) – “Sane seeks way to improve the quality of life of anyone affected by mental illness”. Twitter: @CharitySANE
  • SCOPE
  • SPECTRUM CENTRE (spectrumcentre.org) – “Conducting translational research into understanding & psychological treatment of bipolar disorder & related conditions at Lancaster University, UK.” Twitter: @SpectrumCentre
  • TIME TO CHANGE (time-to-change.org.uk) – “Time to Change is England’s most ambitious programme to end discrimination faced by people who experience mental health problems.” @TimetoChange
  • TOGETHER MENTAL HEALTH (together-uk.org) – “The leading UK charity working laongside people to improve mental health & wellbeing.” Twitter: @TogetherUK
  • TRUTH ABOUT RAPE (truthaboutrape.co.uk)
  • YOUNG MINDS (youngminds.org.uk) – For children with mental health problems

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PROFESSIONAL & ACADEMIC ORGANISATIONS

  • BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (bma.org.uk)
  • ROYAL COLLEGE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS (rcgp.org.uk) – “The professional membership body for family doctors.” Twitter: @rcgp
  • ROYAL COLLEGE OF PSYCHIATRISTS (rcpsych.ac.uk) – “Improving the lives of people affected by mental illness.” @rcpsych
  • INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY at Kings College, London (kcl.ac.uk/iop/index.aspx)

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REGULATION, STANDARDS & OVERSIGHT

  • CARE QUALITY COMMISSION (cqc.org.uk) – “At the Care Quality Commission, our aim is to make sure better care is provided for everyone.” Twitter: @CareQualityComm
  • NICE (nice.org.uk) – National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence. Twitter: @NICEcomms

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NHS & GOVERNMENT SITES

  • DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (dh.gov.uk) Twitter: @DHgovuk

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