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Further Information |
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NHS Direct is a national helpline funded by the government. It provides patients with access to specially trained nurses who can signpost them to the to the most appropriate source of treatment for their problem, be it self-treatment for a headache, the local pharmacist for a cold, a GP consultation for a persistent condition, or a swift visit to the Accident and Emergency department of the local hospital for a serious injury.
NHS Direct: 0845 4647
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- the medical expertise of NHS Direct is also available online. The electronic resource includes a self-help guide for those who are feeling unwell and a guide to healthy living more generally. The website has a health encyclopaedia containing clear explanations of basic medical ailments and advice on how best to deal with them.
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provide a number of support services to cancer patients and their families. Their 'Community Links' service offers free consultancy, training and resources to over 700 UK cancer self help and support groups. This includes the CancerVOICES project (mentioned in the first programme) which aims to enable people with experience of cancer to have a greater and more effective say in decision making about cancer services, care and research.
Macmillan's Information Line: 0845 601 6161 (Monday - Friday, 9.30am - 7.30pm)
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Lifewatch (featured in the third programme) is a private telemedicine company based at the London Heart hospital. They provide small portable heart monitors to private patients and through some limited contracts NHS. These monitors enable patients, who have a history of cardiac problems, to take their own ECG and send it down a normal phone line to a monitoring centre which is open 24 hours a day.
Lifewatch monitoring centre: 020 7224 1440
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If you have a long term medical condition you can contact the . One in three people in Britain will develop a long term medical condition in their lifetime, for instance it could be asthma, diabetes or multiple sclerosis. The LMCA will be able to direct you to the relevant voluntary groups which represent people with specific medical conditions.
The LMCA can also signpost patients toward providers of the Expert Patient Programme (mentioned in the third programme), a self management course which aims to enable and empower patients in living with long term illness.
LMCA, Unit 212, 16 Baldwins Gardens, LONDON EC1N 7RJ
Tel: 0207-813 3637
Fax: 0207-813 3640
Email: info@lmca.org.uk
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is a web site which provides patients with access to the real life experiences of those who have been diagnosed with a medical condition. These experiences are personal stories about being diagnosed with a problem, the emotional impact and the reaction of family and friends. The site currently covers breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer and hypertension.
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is an independent charity which lobbies for patients to have a greater involvement in decision making, be this with their GP or in policy decisions at a national level. The Patient Association Helpline provides advice on problems relating to health and healthcare. It is staffed by trained volunteers between 10.00 and 4.00pm from Monday to Friday and operates a message service at all other times.
Helpline: 0845 6084455
PO Box 935,
Harrow,
Middlesex,
HA1 3YJ
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The is a charity which runs a series of health education campaigns and initiatives to promote better communication between patients and healthcare professionals and more responsible use of NHS services.
Tavistock House,
Tavistock Square,
London,
WC1 9JP
Tel: 020 7383 6803/6144
Fax: 020 7383 6966
Email: dpp@bma.org.uk
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(featured in the third programme) run a mobile health education programme. Their fleet of mobile classrooms visit primary schools across much of Britain. Their programmes are geared at helping children to understand better how their bodies work and how to keep themselves healthy.
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The South Yorkshire Communities On-line Project (SYCOP) (featured in the third programme) has a web project which will be launching at . It aims to put people in touch with the information to empower them to make realistic and informed choices about their health and their medical needs.
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