Other useful websites

• Advice, support and information about psychosis
• Advice, support and information for family members and friends
• NHS sites
• Government organisations
• Legal advice
• Research organisations
• Campaigns fighting discrimination and stigma

Advice, support and information about psychosis

Rethink Mental Illness
The national mental health charity runs an advice and information service and produces a lot of information about different aspects of psychosis. Visit the website, or call the advice and information service on 0300 5000 927, Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm.
Rethink Mental Illness also runs carers’ groups and you can find where the nearest one to you is by visiting the website.

MIND
The charity’s website contains information and advice about mental health problems and support and care available.

SANE
Information about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other mental health problems, as well as treatments and support for carers.
SANE runs a national telephone helpline – 0845 767 8000 – offering support and information for people affected by mental health problems, open 6pm to 11pm every day of the year, including all bank holidays.
SANEmail is an email support service, aimed particularly at young people or people who find using the telephone difficult. 

Young Minds
Information for children, young people and parents worried about their children. The YoungMinds Parents Helpline, 0808 802 5544, is open from 9.30am to 4pm on weekdays.

Mental Health Foundation
Information about different mental health problems, including schizophrenia, treatment options and getting help. There is also a directory of organisations and websites that deliver mental health services or offer support and information.

Bipolar UK
(the new name of MDF, The Bipolar Organisation). The charity's website contains specific information about bipolar disorder.

Scottish Association for Mental Health
Information about different mental health problems, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and about community-based services.

Hafal
Hafal is an organisation in Wales working with people recovering from severe mental illness and their families.

MindWise
MindWise is an organisation in Northern Ireland. The website contains information about different mental health problems and services run by the charity.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Information about schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. 

Voice Collective
This website contains information about voices, visions, coping, recovery, getting help in a crisis and peer support groups for young people aged 12 to 18. Created by Mind in Camden, the site contains useful information for carers as well as young people who are having these experiences.

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Advice, support and information for family members and friends

The following organisations’ websites have information and advice specifically for carers, including information about benefits, carers’ assessments and respite breaks, and/or information about the support each organisation can offer.

Carers UK

Carers Trust
(formerly The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care).

The Children's Society Include Programme
The website has information for young carers and a comprehensive listing of young carers’ groups and projects that offer support in your neighbourhood.

Young Carers.net
This is a site for young carers with information and online discussion groups, set up by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers (now part of the Carers Trust).

Rethink Mental Illness Siblings Network
This is a dedicated website for siblings of people with mental health problems, created by Rethink Mental Illness. It includes information, personal stories and blogs. 

Carers Week
Information about the annual week highlighting carers' issues.

Directgov: Caring for Someone
Information about carers’ rights, support services, assessments, financial support and direct payments.

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NHS sites

NHS Carers Direct
Information, advice and support for carers, including information about benefits for carers and the people they look after, and carers' assessments.
Carers Direct runs a free, confidential information and advice line on 0808 802 0202, open 8am to 9pm weekdays and 11am to 4pm at weekends.

NHS Choices
Information about psychosis, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other mental and physical health problems; treatments; and NHS services.
On this site you can get an Information Prescription about bipolar disorder and schizophrenia which includes treatment options, benefits you might be able to claim, housing support available, support groups and useful website addresses.

NHS Direct
Health advice and information. The 24-hour phone number is 0845 4647.

The Meriden Family Work Programme
This is the website of an NHS programme which promotes the development of family-sensitive, evidence-based mental health services, with a particular emphasis on work with families. The website contains carers’ stories and information about research relating to family work and carers’ issues. The programme is based at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation NHS Trust but it operates on a national level.

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Government organisations

Standing Commission on Carers
This was set up in 2007 by the Department of Health to advise on the development of support for carers.

Department of Health
The government department responsible for health and social care policy in England and the NHS. The National Clinical Director for Mental Health is Dr Hugh Griffiths.

Care Quality Commission
This organisation regulates care provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies and voluntary organisations – in hospitals, care homes and in the community. It also protects the interests of people whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act.

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Legal advice

Citizens Advice Bureau
including the facility to find the address of your local bureau.
Citizens Advice Bureau online Advice guide

Directgov: Legal aid – an introduction
Information about legal aid.

Community Legal Advice
A free and confidential advice service paid for by legal aid. The CLA service and the legal aid scheme in England and Wales is run by the Legal Services Commission.

Legal Services Commission  – about legal aid
The Legal Services Commission runs the legal aid scheme and the Community Legal Advice service in England and Wales. You can download leaflets about legal aid from this site.

Law Works
LawWorks is a charity that aims to provide free legal help to individuals and community groups who cannot afford to pay for it and who are unable to access legal aid.

Law Society
Find a solicitor through this website.

Coram Children’s Legal Centre
Free, independent legal advice for children, parents and carers in England.

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Research organisations

Mental Health Research Network
The National Institute for Health Research Mental Health Research Network runs FACTOR, a network of family members and friends interested in mental health research. 

Research Mental Health
The Institute of Psychiatry is working with the Mental Health Foundation to promote the importance of mental health research in the UK. Visit this website to sign a declaration calling for more investment in studies that can lead to new treatments.

INVOLVE
INVOLVE is funded by the National Institute for Health Research and seeks to promote and support public involvement in research. ‘Public’ includes people who use health and social services and their families and friends.

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Campaigns fighting discrimination and stigma

Time to Change
England’s biggest ever anti-stigma campaign.

Time to Change Wales

See me
Scotland’s national campaign to end stigma and discrimination against people with mental health problems.