A guide to sources of information in your area

Listed below are some indications of where local information might be sourced in order to complete the Local Information Template. It would also be advisable to invite local groups of people affected by neurological conditions (e.g. MS Society branches, Parkinson’s Disease Society branches) to contribute to the completion of the template.
 

Access to education


Adaptions to home and getting hold of equipment

  • Direct Gov
    For help with assessment (local authority)
  • Direct Gov
    For help with funding
  • MS Society
    Local branches of the MS Society may be able to assist with funding
  • Neurological Alliance
    For information on funding
  • Motability
    Motability can provide financial help with adaptations to vehicles
  • Assist UK
    Assist UK is a network of locally situated disabled living centres, and their website enables you to search for a local centre
  • Speakability
    Speakability produce a fact sheet on Information Technology for People with Aphasia which lists Communication Aid Centres
  • Abilitynet
    Abilitynet can help with adapting a computer and advise on making IT more accessible and easier to use
  • Foundations
    Foundations is the national coordinating body for home improvement agencies in England and can give details of local agencies

Benefits advice and help


Breaks from caring

  • MS Society
    The MS Society has an online respite care directory that gives details of approved respite care providers
  • MS Therapy Centres
    MS Therapy Centres offer specific treatments to individuals with MS so a carer may get a break from caring during the treatment
  • Carers UK
    Carers UK will help you find a local contact for support for carers - they may know about local schemes to provide a break for carers
  • Crossroads
    Crossroads provides support and breaks for carers to find local scheme
  • Direct Gov
  • Tourism for All UK
    Tourism for All UK provides holiday information for disabled people and information on respite care. There is a small charge for information sheets
  • Holiday Care
    Holiday Care has a database of respite care facilities

Care in the home

  • Telecare
    Local Telecare services are provided and funded through various mechanisms and organisations

Carers support group


Community matrons

  • Department of Health
    For Department of Health leaflet about community matrons. There is space to add local contact details and the leaflet is available in a number of languages

Complementary therapies

  • Hospice Information
    Local hospices may know about local providers of complementary therapies. This website allows you to tailor your search according to condition, desired therapy, and availability in your area
  • MS Therapy Centres
    MS Therapy Centres can be good sources of information about complementary therapies. Some provide them and others are aware of good local practitioners
  • Institute of Complementary Medicine

Continence advice

  • Health services
    The Health Services website can help you find the nearest clinic. Community continence nurses may be linked to continence clinics. They are likely to be based within the local PCT
  • Incontact
    Incontact is the national support group for people with bladder and bowel problems. They have some local support networks

Continuing care


Counselling


Disability rights and entitlements


Driving

  • Direct Gov
  • Motability
    Motability can provide financial help with adaptations to vehicles
  • MAVIS -
    MAVIS provides useful lists of contacts ranging from specialist driving mirrors to insurance firms and a list of local mobility centres
  • Medical rules for driving
    Visit the DirectGov website for information on medical rules for drivers, including how to inform the DVLA of a medical condition or disability.

Employment


Expert patient courses


Food and diet advice


Health and hospital services


Help in the home


Holidays for people with disabilities

  • HolidayCare
    HolidayCare provides information on accessible types of accommodation in the UK and overseas
  • Family Holiday Association
    Family Holiday Association provides financial assistance to families in need of a holiday, including those with disabilities
  • Direct Gov
  • Neurological Alliance
    Some condition specific organisations have chalets / caravans that their members can access to. See the Neurological Alliance website for a list of organisations

Housing advice for disabled people

  • Home Improvement Agencies (HIA)
    Home Improvement Agencies (HIA) are locally based organisations offering support for people making adaptations or improvements to their home. These organisations can offer help with finding funding and managing the work. In some areas, these agencies are called “Care & Repair”, or “Staying Put”. The HIA website has a facility to find the nearest office agency
  • Direct Gov

Interpreting, translation and advocacy services


Leisure and relaxation

  • DisabledGo
    The DisabledGo website provides information on accessibility to various facilities in a range of different locations (search can also be refined by selecting which aspects of access you require). Please note that only some towns and boroughs are included.
  • Direct Gov
  • The Good Gallery Guide
    The Good Gallery Guide is a web-based directory of art galleries in England, Scotland and Wales, and are accessible to people with disabilities.
  • The National Trust
    The National Trust has details about how to check accessibility to its sites. Also available is a comprehensive accessibility guide to all National Trust sites. This can be downloaded but it is a huge document (over 200 pages).

Memory clinic


Neuro-psychology


Neuro rehabilitation

  • Neurological Centres
    Try approaching your nearest neurological centre. The Brain and Spine Webiste allows you to search for the centre closest to where you live.

Occupational therapy


Pain relief


Palliative care

  • Hospice Information
    This webiste gives you the option of searching for a hospice or palliative care service. When searching, select “non-cancer patients” and then the type of service, area of the UK, etc.
  • Sue Ryder Care
    A list of Sue Ryder supportive care and hospice facilities can be found on this website.

Physiotherapy

  • Neurological Centres in the UK
    Physiotherapists who specialise in neurological conditions will be linked to the local neurological cnetres.
  • MS Therapy Centres
    Some MS therapy centres offer physiotherapy; if not directly accessible, they may know of physiotherapists practising in the local area and the rates they charge.
  • PhysioFirst
    PhysioFirst is a directory of private chartered physiotherapists (this is the trading name of the Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists in Private Practice).
  • Physio2u
    Physio2u is a directory of physiotherapists offering private treatment, which is hosted by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s website.It allows you to search for a neuro specialist physio. (The CSP’s general enquiry telephone number is: 020 7306 6666).

Safety


Sex and relationships

  • Relate
    Try local Relate offices. Some offer counselling for people with disabilities and psycho-sexual difficulties.
  • Outsiders
    Outsiders runs activities to help isolated people with physical and/or social disabilities to gain confidence, make new friends and find partners. They also offer advice on sexual problems. Outsiders has recently taken over some of the roles of Sexual Problems of the Dissabled (SPOD), including its Helpline. Updated versions of their leaflets are available on this website under the Leaflets button. They are working on providing a list of helpful books, contacts and counsellors around the country.

Social care assessments and plans


Specialist nurses


Speech and language therapy


Support groups and forums

  • Neurological Alliance
    The Neurological Alliance has a list of organisations and links to all their websites.
  • The Long-term Medical Conditions Alliance
    The home page of most organisations’ websites has a facility to find sources of local support.
  • Incontact
    Incontact has some local support groups for people who have continence problems. The website allows you to search using a map to find the nearest group.
  • Macmillan Cancer Support
    Macmillan Cancer Support produce a Directory of Cancer self help and support, updated each year, which lists support groups by type of cancer and by county.

Transport


Wheelchairs and other mobility aids




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