There are many self-help groups and patient organisations, specialising in a very wide range of medical conditions. Some are run entirely by patients or lay people, others may have considerable input from health professionals. Similarly, there are large variations in the resources available to such organisations.

For information on condition-specific, self-help and patient groups you can search the following websites. (Please note that the EPG can not accept responsibility for their accuracy or for the quality of the information provided).

The Directory of British Self-Help Groups and Support Organisations, listing more than 800 self-help organisations, is available in book and CD Rom format (+).

The NHS EQUIP gateway (Electronic Quality Information for Patients) provides access to contact details for more than 1500 condition-specific support groups in the UK (see Support Group Search on home page).

The Patients Association provides a useful database of support groups on its website. Individual groups can be accessed by doing a keyword search.

Patient UK is a directory of UK health, disease and health-related websites, which is edited by two GPs. It contains useful information on patient and self-help organisations. (+)

CancerBACUP is an organisation that provides information and support to cancer sufferers and their families throughout the UK. It has a database of over 600 local cancer support groups throughout the UK, which can be accessed online.

Contact a Family is a UK charity for the families of disabled children. It is an important source of patient information on rare medical disorders and can assist adults as well as children. The Contact a Family website contains an online directory with information on over 350 conditions, contributed or approved by medical experts. The directory also provides details of many patient support groups.

Contact a Family can also help with information on conditions not listed on their website. It may also be able to link families where there is no existing support organisation. You can ring the Contact a Family Helpline on (0808) 808 3555. This is a freephone service for parents, families and professionals (10am-4pm, Mon-Fri).

The website www.specialistinfo.com contains an Index to Charities and Support Groups which lists hundreds of condition-specific websites.

The Telephone Helplines Association is a source of specialist information on not-for-profit helplines in the UK. Its website provides detailed information on more than 1000 helpline services run by voluntary and other organisations.