List of organisations
Useful links and information for
family & carers
If you are a family member or carer there will be times when you may feel the need for additional information or support.
This page contains a list of services available to assist you.
Advocacy Highland
Provides
Free advocacy services to people with mental health problems.
There are local services in the following areas: Caithness & Sutherland; Ross & Cromarty; Skye & Lochalsh; Inverness; Nairn; Badenoch & Strathspey; Lochaber.
Visit the website for details of local services.
Contact details
Tel: 01463 233460 (Inverness office)
Website: www.advocacy-highland.org.uk
BFS Bipolar Fellowship Scotland
Provides
Information, support and advice for people affected by polar disorder/manic depression and those who care
An Inverness group meets at Cairdeas Cottage, 5 Bank Street, Inverness on the last Tuesday of each month between 7pm and 9pm (please telephone to confirm details).
Contact details
Tel: 01463 713928
Website: www.bipolarscotland.org.uk
Inverness group: http://www.bipolarscotland.org.uk/local-groups/inverness
Cairdeas Cottage
Provides:
A drop-in/resource centre for people experiencing isolation and personal difficulties as a result of mental ill health. There is a café area, lounge, smoking room and activity room.
Location
Bank Street
Inverness
IV1 1QZ
Hours
Monday 12.00pm – 4.30pm
Tuesday 12.00pm – 4.30pm
Wednesday 12.00pm – 8.00pm
Thursday 10.00am – 4.30pm
Friday 10.00am – 4.30pm
Contact details
Tel: 01463 713928
Fax: 01463 713344
Email: cairdeas.cottage@virgin.net
Website: www.supportinmindscotland.org.uk/information-and-support/services/cairdeas-cottage-inverness
The Centre is on two levels and has limited wheelchair access.
Carers Scotland
Carers Scotland is the Scottish national office of Carers UK
Provides
Information, forums, helpine and free membership.
Contact details
The Cottage
21 Pearce Street
Glasgow
G51 3UT
Tel 0141 445 3070
Advice Line: 0808 808 7777.
Website: www.carersuk.org/scotland
Companas Cottage
Provides:
A drop-in facility offering support and information in a relaxed and friendly environment for anybody experiencing a mental health problem. Various activities are run, and a Bipolar support group and a hearing voices support group are being set up. There's also a cafe offering people the opportunity to have a cooked meal or a snack.
Location
3 High Street
Alness
Ross-shire
IV17 0SH
Hours
Monday: 2 - 7pm
Tuesday:10.30am - 4.30pm
Wednesday: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Thursday: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Friday: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Contact details
Tel: 01349 884566,
Fax: 01349 884572
Email:companas@supportinmindscotland.org.uk
Website: www.supportinmindscotland.org.uk/information-and-support/services/companas-cottage-alness
The Centre is on two levels so there is limited wheelchair access.
Counselling Directory
A new website aiming to provide the UK with a huge counselling support network, enabling those in distress to find a counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs. This is a free, confidential service that will hopefully encourage those in distress to seek help. The website also contains a number of sections on emotional disorders (types of distress section) and provides some useful statistics. Every counsellor on the site who has submitted their profile has either sent a copy of their qualifications and insurance cover to the website owners, or is registered with a professional body online with recognised codes of ethics and practice.
Website: www.counselling-directory.org.uk/
Crossroads Caring Scotland
Provides
Short breaks and practical support for carers.
Contact details
Crossroads Inverness, Tel 01463 242112,
Crossroads Nairn & District, Tel 01667 455369
Crossroads Ross & Cromarty, Tel 01349 863201
Crossroads Caithness, Tel 01847 895483
Crossroads Lochaber, Tel 01397 701020
Inverness website www.crossroadsinverness.co.uk/
Scottish website: www.crossroads-scotland.co.uk
The Gatehouse
Provides
The Gatehouse is a facility for people in the Sutherland area recovering from mental illness. There is a lounge area and a comfortable smoking room. A range of activities take place.
Location
Lawson Memorial Hospital
Golspie
Highland
Hours
Monday 10.00am – 3.00pm
Wednesday 10.00am – 3.00pm
Friday 10.00am – 3.00pm
Contact details
Tel/fax: 01408 634283
Email: gatehouse@supportinmindscotland.org.uk
Website: www.supportinmindscotland.org.uk/information-and-support/services/gatehouse-golspie-drop-golspie
Glengarry Centre
Provides
A drop-in social centre for people with mental health issues. There is a sittingroom, recreational area and cafe and the centre offers a variety of activities both within the centre and outside. The centre is on the ground floor and has limited wheelchair access.
Location
Glengarry Centre
125 High Street
Fort William
PH33 6DG
Hours
Monday: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Tuesday: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Wednesday: 12.00 noon - 4.30pm (First Wed of Month: 11.00am - 12.00 noon (Womens session)
Alt. Wed: Open to 7.00pm
Thursday: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Friday: 12.00 noon - 4.30pm
Alt. Saturdays: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Contact details
Email: glengarry@supportinmindscotland.org.uk
Website: www.supportinmindscotland.org.uk/information-and-support/services/glengarry-centre-fort-william
Tel: 01397 700574
Healthy Working Lives
Healthy Working Lives provides a free and confidential occupational health and safety advice service for businesses with fewer than 250 employees.
Contact your local advisers for a free workplace visit:
Stephen Hodges
HWL OH&S Adviser
Tel: 07768 165 516
Paula Martin
HWL OH&S Adviser
Tel: 07768 274 709
Website: www.healthyworkinglives.com
Highland Carers Support Project
For information about this project, please see the listing for Support in Mind Scotland at the foot of this page.
Highland Community Care Forum (HCCF)
From September 2011 HCCF is concentrating on providing support for unpaid carers.
HCCF's services are delivered by Connecting Carers. For example they run training and information sessions which help carers to look after themselves and the people that they care. All of the sessions that they run cover the topics that carers tell them they want to know more about. They are currently running sessions which help carers to manage their stress and also speak up for themselves in a comfortable, confident way. Other courses offer carers the opportunity to learn more about how ‘the System' works and what to think about when planning for the future. They also run sessions which help carers to understand how to move themselves and assist the person that they care for in a safe way.
Connecting Carers can also offer carers who may be feeling a bit isolated or lacking support a Befriender. Befrienders work with carers to help them to step away from their caring roles for an hour or so each week in a friendly and informal way.
Contact details
Tel: 01463 718817
Fax: 01463 718818
Website: www.highlandcommunitycareforum.org.uk/
Highland Recovery Network (HRN)
The Highland Recovery Network is made up of individuals and groups based in the Highlands who are interested in promoting mental well-being and mental health recovery. The network is open to anyone who shares these aims or wishes to be involved, this includes those with lived experience of mental illness, carers and professionals.
Download
HRN leaflet (PDF file)
Contact details
Email: info@highlandrecovery.org.uk
Website: www.highlandrecovery.org.uk
Highland Users Group
HUG is a network of users of mental health services who live in the Highlands, campaigning to improve the rights, services and treatments of those with mental health problems.
Provides
A forum for those with mental health issues, their families and healthcare professionals.Also information in the form of reports, talks and newsletters.
Contact details
Tel: 01463 718817
Email: hug@hccf.org.uk
Website: www.hug.uk.net
The Knowledge Network
Provides
Information-rich website, also a portal to other information sources on the Internet.
This website has replaced the NHS Scotland e-library as Scotland's source of knowledge for health and care.
Contact details
Website: www.knowledge.scot.nhs.uk
lookokfeelcrap.org
Depression Alliance Scotland's website for young adults, including a forum where those affected by depression can chat to each other and offer mutual support; an area where people can share their story; a place where people can share creative work including poetry, creative writing and art; a regular monthly chat; and a page where people can set goals and comment on other people's goals.
Website: www.lookokfeelcrap.org
MDF the BiPolar Organisation
BiPolar works to enable people affected by bipolar disorder / manic depression to take control of their lives
Provides
self-help opportunities for people affected by manic depression
Contact details
Tel: 0141 560 2050
Website: www.mdf.org.uk
Saneline
Provides
A helpline for those experiencing illness, their families and friends - offering information and advice on all aspects of mental health.
Contact details
Tel: 0845 7678000
Website: www.sane.org.uk
Scottish Recovery Network (SRN)
An affiliation of organisations and individuals from varied backgrounds who all share an interest in efforts to promote recovery.
The website contains news and events and allows interested persons and organisations to register for updates. It also provides access to the Scottish Recovery Indicator (SRI) tool to help mental health services ensure that their activities are focussed on supporting the recovery of the people who use their services.
Contact details
Website: www.scottishrecovery.net
Support in Mind Scotland
Support in Mind Scotland works to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of people affected by serious mental illness. This includes those who are family members, carers and supporters.
In this area: The Highland Carers Support Project
The Highland Carers Officer, David Smith, is available to carers and their families to provide support and information on a range of issues surrounding mental illness and being a carer.
The Carer's Support Service provides one-to-one support, group support, information and advice and education courses for informal and professional carers and facilitates a network of carers.
Contact details:
Tel: 01463 704660 (9:00am to 4:30pm, Monday - Friday)
Email: nsfcarersproject@hotmail.com
Website: supportinmindscotland.org.uk