Guidance on whom to contact for what, including direct web links for easy access.

	Government resources		Professional organisations		Patient organisations
	General internet resources		On-line photo resources

Government resources

Breastfeeding.nhs.uk
Co-ordinated by the Department of Health, this site was launched for National Breastfeeding Awareness Week to raise awareness of the health benefits of breast feeding, to increase social acceptance of breast feeding and promote support for breast feeding.
www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
CDC is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, the main agency for protecting the health of Americans.
www.cdc.gov

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Zoonoses)
Ensures that public health action is co-ordinated regarding existing and emerging zoonotic infections.
Telephone: 020 7904 6147
www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/zoonoses/ukzg/index.htm

Department of Health (England)
Telephone: 020 7210 4850 (9am-5pm Monday to Friday)
www.dh.gov.uk

Directgov
Directgov is the place to turn for the widest range of government information and services.
www.direct.gov.uk

Foodlink
Provides a focus for communicating messages aimed at helping everyone to understand and carry out basic precautions to reduce the risk of food poisoning.
Telephone: 020 7836 2460
www.foodlink.org.uk

Food Safety
A gateway to Government food safety information.
www.foodsafety.gov

The Food Standards Agency
An independent food safety watchdog set up by an Act of Parliament in 2000 to protect public health and consumer interests in relation to food.
www.food.gov.uk

Health Education Board for Scotland
The national agency for health education in Scotland.
Telephone: 0131 536 5500
www.hebs.scot.nhs.uk

Health Promotion Agency
Run by the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland, this site is designed to support those working in the areas of health promotion and public health.
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk

Health Protection Agency
Provides impartial advice and information to health professionals and the public on topics including communicable diseases, emergency planning and bioterrorism.
Telephone: 020 8200 4400
www.hpa.org.uk

Health Protection Scotland
Works in partnership with others to protect the Scottish public from exposure to hazards which damage health, and to limit any impact when such exposures cannot be avoided.
Telephone: 0141 300 1100
www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh

The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC)
NaTHNaC works in partnership with the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the Health Protection Agency, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre to provide health professionals and travellers with guidance and information about travel medicine.
Telephone: 020 7380 9234 (9am - 12 noon, 2pm - 4pm Monday to Friday)
www.nathnac.org

NHS24
The on-line website and 24-hour nurse and health information service for those living in Scotland.
Telephone: 08454 24 24 24
www.nhs24.com

NHS Direct
On-line website and 24-hour nurse and health information service.
Telephone: 0845 46 47
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

NHS Direct Wales
On-line website and 24-hour nurse and health information service for those living in Wales.
Telephone: 0845 46 47
www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk

NHS Gateway
Provides information about NHS services in the UK with links to the four countries' individual websites.
www.nhs.uk

NHS Immunisation Information
The most comprehensive, up-to-date and accurate source of information on vaccines, disease and immunisation in the UK.
www.immunisation.nhs.uk
www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk (MMR information)

NHS National Library for Health (Women's Health Specialist Library)
Serves to fulfil the information needs of healthcare professionals involved in the care of women.
www.library.nhs.uk/womenshealth

NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence)
An independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health, and the prevention and treatment of ill health.
Telephone: 020 7067 5800
www.nice.org.uk

Wired for Health
Provides information relating to the National Curriculum and the National Healthy Schools Standard.
www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk

Professional organisations

Association of Medical Microbiologists
The Association of Medical Microbiologists (AMM) is a professional body concerned with all aspects of medical microbiology and infection in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.
www.amm.co.uk

British Association for Sexual Health and HIV
The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) aims to promote, encourage and improve the science surrounding diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
www.bashh.org

British HIV Association (HIV treatment guidelines)
BHIVA Treatment Guidelines for 2003.
www.bhiva.org/guidelines/2003/hiv

British Thoracic Society
Aims to relieve the sickness of people with respiratory and associated disorders by promoting the highest standards of clinical care. It undertakes research and disseminates the results of its findings on the causes, prevention and treatment.
Telephone: 020 7831 8778
www.brit-thoracic.org.uk

Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association
Professional body representing nurses and health visitors working in primary and community healthcare.
Telephone: 020 7505 3000
www.amicus-cphva.org

Infection Control Nurses Association
Professional body representing those both working in the field and with an interest in infection, prevention and control.
Telephone: 01506 811077
www.icna.co.uk

National HIV Nurses' Association (NHIVNA)
NHIVNA aims to provide an academic and educational forum for the dissemination of original nursing research in the field of HIV/AIDS. It also aims to address the communication and support needs of nurses working in this area.
www.nhivna.org.uk

National Institute of Allergy and Allergic Diseases
Conducts and supports basic and applied research to better understand, treat, and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases.
www.niaid.nih.gov

Nursing & Midwifery Council
Regulatory body for nurses, midwives and health visitors.
Main switchboard: 020 7637 7181
Main fax: 020 7436 2924
www.nmc-uk.org

Royal College of Midwives
Professional body representing midwives.
Telephone: 020 7312 3535
www.rcm.org.uk

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Professional body representing obstetricians and gynaecologists.
Telephone: 020 7772 6200
www.rcog.org.uk

Society of Sexual Health Advisors
A professional organisation for health advisers working in departments of genito-urinary medicine and sexual health.
www.ssha.info

Patient organisations

Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services
AIMS members include parents, midwives, doctors and other health professionals who support each other to campaign on national and local issues around maternity care.
Telephone: 0870 765 1433
www.aims.org.uk

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
Voluntary organisation launched in 1979 by a group of mothers experienced in breast feeding counselling. Counsellers aim to provide mother-to-mother support and accurate, up-to-date information on breast feeding and related matters.
Telephone: 0870 401 7711
www.abm.me.uk

Hepatitis Foundation International
Initiates a wide range of programmes to educate the public, patients and professionals about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis.
www.hepfi.org

Herpes Viruses Association
Helps to improve life for people with herpes simplex by helping them to understand the condition and put it into its proper perspective as a common skin complaint.
Telephone: 0845 123 2305
www.herpes.org.uk

Meningitis Research Foundation
Funds scientific research, raises awareness and provides information on meningitis and septicaemia in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
www.meningitis.org

Meningitis Trust
Fights meningitis through the provision of support, education, awareness and research.
Telephone: 01453 768000
www.meningitis-trust.org

National Childbirth Trust
Aims to help all parents enjoy the experiences of the pregnancy, birth and new parenthood.
www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com

General internet resources

EuroTB
Co-ordinates the surveillance of tuberculosis (TB) in the 52 countries of the WHO European Region since 1996. Its overall aim is to improve the contribution of epidemiological surveillance to TB control in Europe.
www.eurotb.org

hepatitis.org
Raises awareness of disorders that can lead to hepatic insufficiency and liver transplants and aims to financially support research.
www.hepatitis.org

International Herpes Alliance
Global association of patient-support organisations and health professionals concerned about genital herpes.
www.herpesalliance.org

International Herpes Management Forum (IHMF®)
Aims to improve the awareness and understanding of herpes viruses, and the counselling and management of people with these infections.
www.ihmf.org

Malaria Foundation International (MFI)
Facilitates the development and implementation of solutions to the health, economic and social problems caused by malaria.
www.malaria.org

Medicinenet
A network of US Board Certified Physicians and Allied Health Professionals that helps users to find easy-to-understand medical information.
www.medicinenet.com

Medinfo
Aims to provide free and easy-to-understand medical information and advice.
www.medinfo.co.uk

MIDIRS (Midwives Information and Resource Service)
An educational charity with a mission 'to be the central source of information relating to childbirth and to disseminate this information to midwives and others'.
Telephone: 0800 581 009
www.midirs.org

National Center for Biotechnology Information
A US resource for molecular biology information.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
A US based resource that aims to ensure that every person is born healthy and wanted, that women suffer no harmful effects from reproductive processes, and that all children have the chance to achieve their full potential for healthy and productive lives.
www.nichd.nih.gov

National Library of Medicine (US)
The world's largest medical library – based in the US. The Library collects materials in all areas of biomedicine and healthcare, as well as works on biomedical aspects of technology, the humanities, the physical, life, and social sciences.
www.nlm.nih.gov

Net Doctor
A collaboration between committed doctors, healthcare professionals, information specialists and patients who believe that medical practice should be based on quality-assessed information and, wherever possible, on the basis of the principles of evidence-based medicine.
www.netdoctor.co.uk

North American Society for Pediatric Gastroentereology
Aims to be a world leader in advancing the science and clinical practice of paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition in health and disease.
www.naspgn.org

Prodigy
Supported by the Department of Health, the Prodigy website contains a section for nurse prescribers, with guidance on antibiotic prescribing, the formulary, and information on professional development.
www.prodigy.nhs.uk

ReadySteadyBaby
Up-to-date information about pregnancy, childbirth and caring for baby.
www.readysteadybaby.org.uk

Resuscitation Council (UK)
Formed in August 1981 by a group of medical practitioners with the objective to facilitate education of lay and healthcare professionals in the most effective methods of resuscitation.
Telephone: 020 7388 4678
www.resus.org.uk

Sexual Health InfoCenter
Provides information and forums for adults to discuss human sexuality and its nuances.
www.sexhealth.org

The Anaphylaxis Campaign
UK charity set up by allergists to providing information to health professionals and parents.
Telephone: 01252 373793
www.anaphylaxis.org.uk

The Cochrane Collaboration
The Cochrane Collaboration is an international non-profit making and independent organisation, dedicated to providing readily available, up-to-date, accurate information about the effects of healthcare.
Telephone: 01865 310138
www.cochrane.org


The Concordat
The Concordat is a voluntary agreement between organisations that regulate, audit, inspect or review elements of health and healthcare in England.
www.concordat.org.uk

World Health Organization
The United Nations agency for health with the objective of attaining the highest possible level of health for all people.
www.who.int
www.who.org

On-line photo resources

Public domain photo libraries where nurses can download images for educational purposes, or obtain images for largely reduced fees.

Public Health Image Library (PHIL)
PHIL is an extensive collection of still images, image sets, and multimedia files related to public health.
phil.cdc.gov/Phil/default.asp

The Wellcome Trust Photo Library
A medical photo library covering the history of medicine, modern biomedical science and clinical medicine, which offers preferential rates for images used for academic/personal research or lectures. Pricing covers a material cost, and post and package charges.
http://medphoto.wellcome.ac.uk

This content is not intended nor does it replace individual professional advice. Please contact a healthcare professional or seek advice from NHS Direct (0845 46 47) NHS Direct Wales (0845 46 47) or NHS 24 in Scotland (08454 24 24 24).