Where would I find a good source of information for UK health centres,
help and support groups, etc.? Examples would be alzheimer's  centres,
battered wives help groups and so on. I'd like names, address and
telephone numbers. Thanks.

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Request for Question Clarification by thx1138-ga on 01 Nov 2002 11:18 PST

Hello garyb,

Are you looking for a single list of such organizations ie. all in one
page (ie. a huge document!), or do you want a/some website/s that will
list these organizations on separate pages, that you look up?

Best regards
THX1138

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Request for Question Clarification by easterangel-ga on 01 Nov 2002 11:51 PST

I have found lists of support groups and medical hospitals in the UK
which has contact info. Will this be considered as a legitimate
answer. Just let me know. :)

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Clarification of Question by garyb-ga on 04 Nov 2002 01:53 PST

To thx1138-ga: One huge document or a list of websites would be great.
Thanks.

To easterangel-ga: Sounds good though difficult to say for sure
without seeing it first. Thanks.

Hello, garyb-ga!
 
  A very extensive database of UK health and self-help organizations
can be found on the Mentor Website at http://www.mentor-update.com/ .
The site contains “over 1000 entries containing details of self help
groups, patient associations and similar organisations in the UK,
including live links to web sites where they exist.”
 The best way to search the site is through the Alphabetical Table of
Contents. On the home page at http://www.mentor-update.com/ :
 1. Click on the link for “Search the PILs self-help database of UK
self help groups
 2. Click on the “Database” tab on the top, right corner of the PILs
page
 3. Click on the “Table of Contents” link
      or
    Type in a keyword in the “Search” box  
 4. Examples:
      By typing in “Women” in the Search box, I found 15 matches for
various
     women’s support organizations.  
      By searching alphabetically under “W”, I found only 10 of the 15
     organizations, since the other five support groups don’t start
with “W”.
     (ex: “Abused Women”, “Black Women’s Rape Action”, etc.)
 5. I also noticed that some of the links through the keyword search
do not
    work. When typing “Fibromyalgia” in the search box, it brought up
one link,
    which did not work when I clicked on it. However, searching for 
    Fibromyalgia under “F” in the Table of Contents brought up two 
    organizations. 

  Please note that many of the organization home pages have links to
other self-help groups, which you might not necessarily find under a
keyword or alphabetical search. For example, a link to “Stiff UK
(Fibromyalgia Support)” appears on the web pages for “Fibromyalgia
Association UK” and “Fibromyalgia Support Northern Ireland,” but it is
probably not a name you would think of on your own. Therefore,
scrolling through the database alphabetically will reveal a wealth or
organizations with unique names!

  The “Directory of British Selp Help Groups and Support
Organizations,” by Steve and Julie Garrill, can be ordered at
http://www.doctor.gp/help/ for a very reasonable price. It is
available in booklet or CD format.
  “The directory contains details of over 820 British national
self-help and support organisations covering more than 750 conditions
and needs. It is alphabetically sorted, cross-referenced and indexed.”
   A full listing of conditions covered in the directory is available
at http://www.doctor.gp/help/full_listing.htm

  An extensive listing of Cancer Support groups, in particular, can be
found on the Cancerbacup website at
http://www.cancerbacup.org.uk/resource/organisations.htm . Click on
the link for the “online database” and select your criteria from
there.

 Depending on your interests, you may be interesting in joining the
“Self Help And Mutual Aid Research Network.
 “The aim of the network is to increase the collaborative work between
self help groups, practitioners and researchers to enhance the
identity and understanding of self help in the UK.” A lengthy
description about the organization can be found at
http://www.selfhelp.org.uk/research.htm#uk. Membership is currently
free.

  I think the above references are the most comprehensive listings for
the UK that you will be able to find. Please do not hesitate to ask if
I can help further.

  umiat-ga

Google Search Strategy
list of UK health organizations
list of UK self help organizations

First time I've used your service - very impressed. Many thanks.

I worked in a Health Information Centre a few years ago which
purchased a database of support groups, voluntary organisations etc
from the Help for Health Trust at
http://www.hfht.org/

Owain