| Appendix 2
Useful addresses and websites

If you write for information from any of these organisations, it is helpful to enclose a large self-addressed envelope. We have not included email numbers as these change frequently.

American College of Cardiology

Website: www.cardiosmart.org

A highly recommended website for information, articles and news.

American Heart Association

7272 Greenville Avenue

Dallas

Texas TX 75321

Tel: 00 1 800 242 8721

Fax: 00 1 214-706-2139

Website: www.americanheart.org

Promotes healthier life styles by training volunteers throughout the USA.

ASH (Action on Smoking
and Health)

First Floor

144–145 Shoreditch High Street

London E1 6JE

Helpline: 0800 169 0169

Tel: 020 7739 5902

Fax: 020 7729 4732

Website: www.ash.org.uk

National organisation with local branches. Campaigns on antismoking policies. Offers free information on website or for sale from H.Q. Catalogue on request.

Blood Pressure Association

60 Cranmer Terrace

London SW17 0QS

Tel: 020 8772 4994

Fax: 020 8772 4999

Website: www.bpassoc.org.uk

Offers information and fact sheets about high blood pressure and the various ways it can be treated. An SAE A4 size envelope requested with two first class stamps.

British Acupuncture Council

63 Jeddo Road

London W12 9HQ

Tel: 020 8735 0400

Fax: 020 8735 0404

Website: www.acupuncture.org.uk

Professional body offering lists of qualified acupuncture therapists.

British Dietetic Association

5th Floor

Charles House

148–149 Great Charles Street

Birmingham B3 3HT

Tel: 0121 200 8080

Fax: 0121 200 8081

Website: www.bda.uk.com

Professional association supporting dietitians.

British Heart Foundation

14 Fitzhardinge Street

London W1H 4DH

Helpline: 08450 708070

Tel: 020 7935 0185

Fax: 020 7486 5820

Website: www.bhf.org.uk

Publications order line:
0870 600 6566

Funds research, promotes education and raises money to buy equipment to treat heart disease. HeartstartUK arranges training in emergency life-saving techniques. To contact local support groups tel. 020 7487 7110. The BHF also produces education materials. For information or to order a Publications and videos catalogue, visit the website, or call the Publications orderline. You can download many of the publications from www.bhf.org.uk free of charge, though a donation is welcome.

British Herbal Medicine Association

PO Box 583

Exeter EX1 9GX

Tel: 0845 680 1134

Fax: 0845 680 1136

Website: www.bhma.info

Offers information, encourages research and promotes high quality standards. Advises members on legalities for importers, vets advertisements and defends the right
of
the public to choose herbal medicines and be able to obtain them freely.

British Holistic Medical Association

PO Box 371

Bridgwater

Somerset TA6 9BG

Tel: 01278 722000

Website: www.bhma.org

Promotes awareness of the holistic approach to health among practitioners and the public through publications, self-help tapes, conferences and a network of local groups.

British Homeopathic Association

Hahnemann House

29 Park Street West

Luton LU1 3BE

Tel: 0870 444 3950

Fax: 0870 444 3960

Website: www.trusthomeopathy.org

Professional body offering lists of qualified homeopathic practitioners.

British Hypertension Society

Clinical Sciences Building

Level 5

Leicester Royal Infirmary

PO Box 65

Leicester LE2 7LX

Tel: 07717 467 973

Website: www.bhsoc.org

Professional body disseminating guidelines to health care professionals.

British Medical Acupuncture Society

BMAS House

3 Winningtom Court

Northwich

Cheshire CW8 1AG

Tel: 01606 786782

Fax: 01606 786783

Website: www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk

Professional body offering training to doctors and list of accredited acupuncture practitioners.

Cardiomyopathy Association

Unit 10, Chiltern Court

Asheridge Road

Chesham HP5 2PX

Tel: 01494 791224

Fax: 01494 797199

Website: www.cardiomyopathy.org

Offers information for health professionals; also support and information for people with cardiomyopathy and their families.

Chest, Heart and Stroke Association (N. Ireland)

21 Dublin Road

Belfast BT2 7HB

Helpline: 08457 697 299

Tel: 02890 320 184

Fax: 02890 333 487

Website: www.nichsa.com

Funds research and provides information on chest, heart and stroke-related illnesses.

Chest, Heart and Stroke (Scotland)

65 North Castle Street

Edinburgh EH2 3LT

Helpline: 0845 077 6000

Tel: 0131 225 6963

Fax: 0131 220 6313

Website: www.chss.org.uk

Funds research and provides information on chest, heart and stroke-related illnesses.

Complementary Medical Association

Blackcleuch

Teviothead

Hawick

Scottish Borders TD9 0PU

Tel: 0845 129 8434

Website: www.the-cma.org.uk

A not-for-profit medical body offering membership to highly qualified practitioners of complementary medicine. Has a database of accredited practitioners around the UK.

Consumers’ Association

2 Marylebone Road

London NW1 4DF

Helpline: 0845 307 4000

Tel: 020 7770 7000

Fax: 020 7770 7600

Website: www.which.net

Publications order line:
0800 252100.

Campaigns on behalf of consumers
and produces reports on products including foods.

Coronary Prevention Group
(CPG)

Website: www.healthnet.org.uk

First British charity devoted to prevention of coronary heart disease. Produces booklets and fact sheets available on the website or by post. Please send SAE.

Curative Hypnotherapy Register

584 Adams Hill

Derby Road

Nottingham NG7 2GZ

Tel: 0115 970 1233

Website: www.curativehypnotherapyregister.co.uk

Professional membership body, offers information about hypnotherapy and a list of registered practitioners.

Department of Health (DoH)

PO Box 777

London SE1 6XH

Helpline: 0800 555 777

Tel: 020 7210 4850

Fax: 01623 724 524

Textphone: 020 7210 5025

Website: www.doh.gov.uk

Produces literature about health issues, available via helpline. A more technical site with National Service Frameworks available from Internet e.g. www.doh.gov.uk/nsf/bloodpressure

Diabetes UK

10 Parkway

London NW1 7AA

Helpline: 020 7424 1030

Tel: 020 7424 1000

Textline 020 7424 1031

Fax: 020 7424 1001

Website: www.diabetes.org.uk

Provides advice and information on diabetes; has local support groups.

Drinkline (National Alcohol Helpline)

Helpline: 0800 917 8282

Funded by Dept. of Health, provides educational material for schools, health professionals and general information on drink, sex and drugs issues. Refers to local agencies for support.

Health Development Agency

Holborn Gate

330 High Holborn

London WC1V 7BA

Helpline: 0870 121 4194

Tel: 020 7430 0850

Fax: 020 7061 3390

Website: www.hda-online.org.uk

Formerly Health Education Authority; now only deals with research. Publications on health matters can be ordered on
0800 555 777.

Health Which?

PO Box 44

Hertford X SG14 1LH

Tel: 0800 252100

Fax: 0845 3074001

Website: www.which.net

Requests for any Consumer Association (Which?) publications, can be ordered here.

Heart UK

7 North Road

Maidenhead SL6 1PE

Tel: 01628 628 638

Fax: 01628 628 698

Website: www.heartuk.org.uk

Offers information, advice and support to people with coronary heart disease and especially to those at high risk of familial hyper- cholesterolaemia. Members receive bimonthly magazine.

Institute for Complementary Medicine

Can-Mezzanine

32–36 Loman Street

London SE1 0EH

Tel: 020 922 7980

Fax: 020 922 7981

Website: www.icmedicine.co.uk

Umbrella group for complementary medicine organisations. Offers informed, safe choice to public, British register of practitioners and refers to accredited training courses. S.a.e. requested for information.

Irish Heart Foundation

4 Clyde Road

Ballsbridge

Dublin 4

Tel: 00 353 1 668 5001

Fax: 00 353 1 668 5896

Website: www.irishheart.ie

Offers information, publications, training and support in prevention of heart disease. Collaborates with other heart-related organisations and has some local support groups.

National Institute
of Medical Herbalists

Elm House

54 Mary Arches Street

Exeter EX4 3BA

Tel: 01392 426 022

Fax: 01392 498 963

Website: www.nimh.org.uk

Professional body representing qualified, practising medical herbalists. Offer lists of accredited medical herbalists. S.A.E. requested.

Natural England
(formerly Countryside Agency)

Northminster House

Peterborough PE1 1UA

Tel: 0845 600 3078

Fax: 01733 455103

Website: www.countryside.gov.uk

Working with other agencies, identifies problems and develops solutions to economic, environmental and community issues for the enjoyment of the countryside.

NHS Direct (England,
Northern Ireland & Wales)

Helpline: 0845 4647

Tel: 020 8867 1367

Textphone 0845 606 4647

Website: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

NHS Direct is a 24 hour helpline offering confidential healthcare advice, information and referral service 365 days of the year. A good first port of call for any health advice.

NHS Health Scotland

Woodburn House

Canaan Lane

Edinburgh EH10 4SG

Tel: 0131 536 5500

Fax: 0131 536 5501

Textphone 0131 536 5503

Website: www.healthscotland.com

NHS Scotland 0800 224 488

NHS health education board for Scotland publishing leaflets on a variety of health issues.

Quit (National Society for Non-Smokers)

211 Old Street

London EC1V 9NR

Helpline: 0800 002200

Tel: 020 7251 1551

Fax: 020 7251 1661

Website: www.quit.org.uk

Offers advice to stop smoking in English and Asian languages; also to schools, and on pregnancy. Runs training courses for health professionals. Can put people in touch with local support groups.

Resuscitation Council

5th Floor, Tavistock House North

Tavistock Square

London WC1H 9HR

Tel: 020 7388 4678

Fax: 020 7383 0773

Website: www.resus.org.uk

Sets standards and runs courses
on resuscitation for health care professionals.
Funds research.

Royal Life Saving Society UK

River House, High Street

Broom B50 4HN

Tel: 01789 773994

Fax: 01789 773995

Website: www.lifesavers.org.uk

Leading organisation promoting prevention of drowning through training and activities in life-saving techniques.

Scottish Heart and Arterial Disease Risk Prevention (SHARP)

Department of Medicine
and Therapeutics

Ninewells Hospital and Medical School

Dundee DD1 9SY

Tel: 01382 660111

Fax: 01382 660675

Website: www.heartscotland.org

Charity run by health professionals aiming, through scientific meetings and research, to reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease in Scotland. Produces guidelines for health professionals, leaflets and videos for their patients.

Sexual Dysfunction Association

Suite 301, Emblem House

London Bridge Hospital

27 Tooley Street

London SE1 2PR

Helpline: 0870 7743571

(Monday, Wednesday,
Friday 10 am–4 pm)

Website: www.sda.uk.net

Gives advice on sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction.

Smoking

Two good websites to help you stop smoking are

www.giveupsmoking.co.uk

www.bhf.org.uk/smoking

Society of Homeopaths

11 Brookfield

Duncan Close

Moulton Park

Northampton NN3 6WL

Tel: 0845 450 6611

Fax: 0845 450 6622

Website: www.homeopathy-soh.org

Professional body, offers lists of accredited homeopathic therapists and free general information.

Sport England

3rd Floor

Victoria House

Bloomsbury Square

London WC1B 4SE

Tel: 020 7273 1551

Fax: 020 7383 5740

Website: www.sportengland.org

Government agency promoting sport in England with a wide variety of activity programmes in order to foster a healthier lifestyle.

St John Ambulance

27 St John’s Lane

London EC1M 4BU

Helpline: 08700 104 950

Tel: 020 7324 4000

Fax: 020 7324 4001

Website: www.sja.org.uk

Provides first aid training for adults and young people and cover for events. Has a fleet of ambulances and provides services to homeless people and library services to hospitals.

Stroke Association

Stroke House

240 City Road

London EC1V 2PR

Helpline: 0845 303 3100

Tel: 020 7566 0300

Fax: 020 7490 2686

Textphone: 020 7251 9096

Website: www.stroke.org.uk

Funds research and provides information now specialising in stroke only. Publications can be ordered from 01604 623 933.

Vegetarian Society
of the United Kingdom

Parkdale

Dunham Road

Altrincham WA14 4QG

Tel: 0161 925 2000

Fax: 0161 926 9182

Website: www.vegsoc.org

Offers information on the vegetarian way of life, day and residential training courses at own Centre. Provides literature for GCSE projects, advice to school caterers. Food manufacturers and restaurants can apply for vegetarian accreditation.

Women’s Health Concern (WHC)

4–6 Eton Place

Marlow SL7 2QA

Helpline: 0845 123 2319

Tel: 01628 478 473

Fax: 01628 482 743

Website: www.womens-health-concern.org

National charity that offers help to women, particularly on questions of hormone health, HRT and gynaecology. Request S.A.E. for information. Website for menopause queries: www.menopausematters.co.uk