Help the Aged
Information Resources Team
207-221 Pentonville Road
London N1 9UZ
Tel: 020 7278 1114

Health information lines:

NHS Direct (England)
Textphone: 0845 606 4647
Helpline: 0845 4647

NHS Direct (Wales)
Textphone: 0845 606 4647
Helpline: 0845 4647

Health of Wales Information Service

NHS 24 (Scotland)
Helpline: 0845 4 24 24 24

Health Boards (Northern Ireland):

Eastern Health and Social Services Board
12-22 Linenhall Street
Belfast BT2 8BS
Tel: 028 9032 1313
Textphone: 028 9032 4980

Northern Health and Social Services Board
County Hall
182 Galgorm Road
Ballymena BT42 1QB
Tel: 028 2531 1000
Helpline: 0845 762 6428
Textphone: 028 2531 1001

Southern Health and Social Services Board
Tower Hill
Armagh BT61 9DR
Tel: 028 3741 0041
Health Information Line: 0800 66 55 44
Textphone: 028 3741 4530

Western Health and Social Services Board
15 Gransha Park
Clooney Road
Londonderry BT47 6FN
Tel: 028 7186 0086
Helpline: 0800 58 53 29

General information and advice

Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB)
For your local CAB look in your phonebook.

The Patients Association
PO Box 935
Harrow
Middlesex HA1 3YJ
Helpline: 0845 608 4455 

Voluntary organisations which provide advice and information on health

Action for Blind People
14-16 Verney Road
London SE16 3DZ
Helpline: 0800 915 4666

Action for Blind People runs a free information and advice service and can advise on many issues associated with visual impairment.

Age Concern Information Line
FREEPOST (SWB30375)
Ashburton
Devon TQ13 7ZZ
Helpline: 0800 00 99 66
Age Concern provides information sheets and factsheets in a number of areas, which affect older people.

Alzheimer's Society
Bevan House
58 St. Katherine's Way
London E1W 1JX
Tel: 020 7423 3500
Helpline: 0845 300 0336

Alzheimer's Scotland
22 Drumsheugh Gardens
Edinburgh EH3 7RH
Helpline: 0808 808 3000 (open 24 hours)

Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Scotland offer advice, information and support to people with dementia, thier families and carer's through their helpline and local branches.

Arthritis Care
18 Stephenson Way
Londn NW1 2HD
Tel: 020 7380 6500
Helpline: 0808 800 4050

Arthritis Care has approximately 250 branches around the country. It runs a helpline for people living with arthritis and produces a range of useful leaflets and factsheets.

British Heart Foundation
14 Fitzhardinge Street
London W1H 6HD
Heart helpline: 0845 070 8070

British Lung Foundation
73-75 Goswell Road
London EC1V 7ER
Tel: 020 7688 5555
Helpline: 0845 850 5020

British Lung Foundation produce a range of leaflets, booklets and information sheets on lung health issues. They have a network of local support groups for people affected by lung conditions.

Cancerbackup
3 Bath Place
Rivington Street
London EC2A 3JR
Helpline: 0808 800 1234

Cancerbackup is Europe's leading cancer information charity. Its website contains over 4,500 pages of up-to-date information on cancer, practical advice and support for patients with cancer, their families, friends and carers.

Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland
65 North Castle Street
Edinburgh EH2 3LT
Tel: 0131 225 6963
Advice line: 0845 077 6000

Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland helps people affected by chest, heart and stroke illness through advice and information and support in the community.

Diabetes UK
Macleod House
10 Parkway
London NW1 7AA
Careline: 0845 120 2960

Diabetes UK run a range of support services including  telephone counselling and local support groups. They also produce factsheets and information sheets on diabetes.

Hearing Concern
95 Gray's Inn Road
London WC1X 8TX
Helpline (tel and text): 0845 0744 600
Hearing Concern provides advice and information to people affected by hearing loss.

Macmillan Cancer Support
89 Albert Embankmant
London SE1 7UQ
Tel: 020 7840 7840
Helpline: 0808 808 2020

Macmillan Cancer Support offers free publications for people with cancer, their families and friends and provides local care and practical support.

Mind Info Line
PO Box 277
Manchester M60 3XN
Tel: 0845 766 0163

Mind Info Line produces booklets and factsheets on a wide range of mental health issues. They can also give details of support services available in your local area.

Parkinson's Disease Society
215 Vauxhall Bridge Road
London SW1V 1EJ
Tel: 0808 800 0303

Parkinson's Disease Society has a helpline staffed by nurses, produces information sheets and publications and has a network of local support groups.

RNIB (Royal National Institute of the Blind)
105 Judd Street
London WC1H 9NE
Helpline: 0845 766 9999

RNIB provides a range of services, advice and information, including leaflets and publications, many of which are available in large print, Braille and Moon. They can also give details of local sight loss support organisations.

RNID
19-23 Featherstone Street
London EC1Y 8SL
Tel: 020 7296 8000
Information Line: 0808 808 0123 (textphone: 0808 808 9000)
Tinnitus Helpline: 0808 808 6666 (textphone: 0808 808 0007)

RNID provides advice and support for people with hearing loss though their information helpline, tinnitus helpline and range of factsheets.

The Stroke Association
Stroke House
240 City Road
London EC1V 2PR
Tel: 0845 30 33 100

The Stoke Association provides community support in some areas and provides patient leaflets for people affected by stroke.