NHS & Health Support Directory (England)
Supporting Health, Wellbeing & Positive Futures
The NHS works alongside trusted national charities and support
organisations to provide information, advice, emotional support,
advocacy, education, peer support and practical help. This directory brings together reliable services for patients, parents, carers and
families.
Emergency: If someone is seriously ill, unconscious, having a heart attack, stroke, severe breathing difficulties or is at immediate risk of harm, call 999 immediately.
Urgent medical advice: Use NHS 111 online or call 111 if you are
unsure what to do.
NHS Services
The NHS provides healthcare for everyone living in England.
Services include:
- GP services
- Hospitals
- Community health services
- Mental health services
- Pharmacies
- Dentists
- Opticians
- Maternity services
- Vaccinations
- Screening programmes
- NHS App
- NHS 111
Official website:
NHS 111
NHS 111 provides free urgent medical advice 24 hours a day.
Use NHS 111 for:
- Medical advice
- Urgent health concerns
- Mental health crisis support
- Dental emergencies
- Finding urgent treatment
- Pharmacy advice
- Out-of-hours GP services
Use:
- Online: 111.nhs.uk
- Telephone: 111
Always call 999 for life-threatening emergencies.
NHS App
The NHS App allows you to:
- Order repeat prescriptions
- View test results
- Book and manage appointments (where available)
- View parts of your GP record
- Access NHS services
- Manage referrals (where available)
- Receive NHS messages
You must normally be registered with a GP in England and aged 13 or over to use the full service.
Official App:
NHS Website
The NHS website contains trusted information on:
- Health conditions
- Medicines
- Symptoms
- Tests
- Treatments
- Mental health
- Healthy living
- Care and support
- NHS services
- Screening
- Vaccinations
Official website:
GP Services
GPs provide:
- Diagnosis
- Referrals
- Prescriptions
- Long-term condition management
- Mental health support
- Preventative healthcare
- Fit notes
- Vaccinations
- Health checks
Find a GP:
Mental Health Support
NHS Mental Health Services
The NHS provides:
- Community Mental Health Teams
- Crisis Teams
- CAMHS
- Adult Mental Health Services
- Inpatient care
- Psychological therapies
- Perinatal mental health services
Official:
NHS Talking Therapies
NHS Talking Therapies provide treatment for:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Panic disorder
- PTSD
- OCD
- Health anxiety
- Social anxiety
Many people can refer themselves without seeing a GP first.
Official:
Provides:
- Mental health information
- Support services
- Local support groups
- Legal information
- Crisis information
- Advocacy resources
Provides:
- 24-hour emotional support
- Suicide prevention support
- Listening service
- Telephone, email and online support
Call 116 123 free, 24 hours a day.
Supports:
- Young people's mental health
- Parents and carers
- School support
- Crisis advice
- Guides for children, teenagers and families
Disability Support
Provides:
- Disability advice
- Benefits information
- Employment support
- Independent living advice
- Family support
- Accessibility information
Provides:
- Autism information
- Parent advice
- Adult support
- Education guidance
- Training
- Helplines
- Advocacy resources
Supports people with learning disabilities through:
- Advice
- Housing support
- Employment support
- Family support
- Rights information
- Community services
Cancer Support
Provides:
- Cancer information
- Financial advice
- Emotional support
- Benefits guidance
- Support line
- Carer support
Provides:
- Evidence-based cancer information
- Research updates
- Prevention advice
- Screening information
- Clinical trials information
Heart Health
Provides:
- Heart disease information
- CPR guidance
- Healthy lifestyle advice
- Support after diagnosis
- Heart health research
Diabetes
Provides:
- Diabetes information
- Education
- Helplines
- Food advice
- Technology guidance
- Emotional support
Respiratory Health
Provides:
- Asthma support
- COPD information
- Lung disease advice
- Helplines
- Breathing advice
- Self-management resources
Dementia
Provides:
- Dementia information
- Carer support
- Local support groups
- Dementia advisers
- Benefits guidance
- Memory support
Children, Parents & Carers
Many organisations listed above provide dedicated services for:
- Parents
- Carers
- Young carers
- Children
- Teenagers
- Schools
- Families
- Professionals
Parents should:
- Keep appointment letters and health records.
- Ask for referrals early if concerned.
- Contact schools where health affects education.
- Request reasonable adjustments where needed.
- Keep copies of care plans, EHCPs, therapy reports and clinic letters.
Legal Rights
You are protected by:
- NHS Constitution for England
- Equality Act 2010
- Children and Families Act 2014
- Care Act 2014
- Mental Capacity Act 2005
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Data Protection Act 2018
- UK GDPR
- Accessible Information Standard
You have the right to:
- Safe healthcare
- Clear information
- Informed consent
- Confidentiality
- Access to health records
- Reasonable adjustments
- Advocacy
- Make complaints
- Receive fair treatment without discrimination
Accessible Support
You can request:
- Easy Read information
- Large print
- Braille
- Audio information
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters
- Spoken language interpreters
- Communication support
- Longer appointments
- Quiet waiting areas
- Wheelchair access
- Home visits where clinically appropriate
- Carer or advocate involvement
Official guidance:
Accessible Information Standard
Evidence Standards & Accountability
Keep copies of:
- GP and hospital letters
- Referral letters
- Care plans
- Medication lists
- Test results
- Therapy reports
- School reports (where relevant)
- Appointment records
- Emails and correspondence
- Complaint letters
- Notes of telephone calls
Ask for:
- Written care plans
- Copies of clinic letters
- Test results
- Referral confirmations
- Accessible information
- Written explanations of decisions
- Reasonable adjustments to be recorded
If you are unhappy with NHS care:
- Speak to the healthcare provider.
- Contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) if appropriate.
- Use the NHS complaints procedure.
- Seek independent advocacy if needed.
- Escalate unresolved complaints to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
- Share wider concerns about regulated services with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Official NHS Resources
- NHS Website
- NHS App
- NHS England
- NHS 111
- Find a GP
- Find a Dentist
- Find a Pharmacy
- Find NHS Talking Therapies
- NHS Complaints
- NHS Constitution
Quick Checklist
✅ Use NHS 111 when you need urgent medical advice but it is not a life-threatening emergency.
✅ Download and use the NHS App to manage prescriptions, appointments and health records.
✅ Use trusted national charities for additional advice and emotional support alongside NHS care.
✅ Ask for reasonable adjustments or accessible information if you have a disability or communication need.
✅ Keep copies of important health records, referrals, care plans and correspondence.
✅ Contact PALS if you need help resolving concerns about NHS care.
✅ Seek independent advocacy if you need help understanding your rights or making a complaint.
✅ Call 999 immediately if someone is seriously ill or in immediate danger.