Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority
Preston Hall, London Road, Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7NJ
01622 710161; fax: 01622 719802; e-mail:
website: Kent and Medway NHS Trust
Responsible for overall strategic planning of health services in the Kent and Medway areas.

South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
Dover District Council Offices, Whitecliffs Business Park, Whitfield, Dover CT16 3PJ.
03000 424700
e-mail:
website: www.southkentcoastccg.nhs.uk
This new organisation takes over the responsibility for local healthcare services from the area's Primary Care Trust on 1 April 2013. The CCG brings together a group of healthcare professionals responsible for deciding what services are provided, by whom and where. They will commission the majority of local health services for people in the Shepway district, Dover and Deal. This includes most hospital and community NHS-funded services, though not primary care or very specialised services.
The CCG has a £253m budget allocated by the Department of Health for spending on:
community health services such as district nurses,
acute services for those who are ill or injured and need specialist care,
mental health services and
the cost of prescribed medication.

For details of local doctors, dentists, opticians, pharmacists, hospitals and other health service providers, see the NHS Services Search at
www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/Pages/ServiceSearch.aspx

Local dispensing chemists:
These are also listed under "Chemists/Pharmacies" in our Local Shopping and Business Services. Please CLICK HERE

For chemists opening times, see: www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Pharmacy/LocationSearch/10

Kent Ambulance NHS Trust
Headquarters: Heath Road, Coxheath, Maidstone, Kent ME17 4BG
01622 747010; fax: 01622 743565; e-mail:

NHS Direct
Free expert health advice and reassurance, available 24 hours a day.
0845 4647; website: NHS Direct Online

NHS Choices
Advice on healthy living, common medical conditions and sources of help.
website: www.nhs.uk/Pages/homepage.aspx

Surgery Door
Independent source of information on a very wide range of health and welfare topics. website: Surgery Door

Citizens Advice Bureau
For details, please CLICK HERE.

Connexions Kent & Medway
A free and confidential advisory service for all 13- to 19-year-olds (and also young people up to 25 with learning difficulties and disabilities). Covers a wide range of issues including housing, careers, relationships, sources of recreation and leisure facilities, local volunteering opportunities and job vacancies. Assistance is also available to parents and carers needing help on how to advise their children on qualifications, training and employment. The organisation has access points across the county and advisors attached to many Kent schools.
website: www.connexionskentandmedway.co.uk

Domestic Abuse Support Service
A weekly advice centre for anyone suffering domestic violence. It provides free and confidential support on the options available to victims such as involving the police, seeking alternative accommodation, obtaining legal advice and ensuring personal safety. The Support Service is open on Tuesdays 9.30am - 1pm at the Dover Discovery Centre, Market Square, Dover CT16 1PB.

Counselling Directory
A website providing contact details for UK counsellors and psychotherapists, all of whom are qualified or registered with a recognised professional body. This service is free and confidential and includes information on the practitioners' training and experience, areas of counselling and fees.  website: www.counselling-directory.org.uk/

Life Coach Directory
A directory of professional life coaches - who can help those seeking a new direction in their life and to find the encouragement they need. The website only lists qualified/registered life coaches. All have to provide copies of their qualifications and insurance cover or must be registered with a recognised professional body. website: www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk.

A-Z Directory of Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Part of the Health Libraries website and devoted to complementary and alternative therapies.
website: www.internethealthlibrary.com/Prime-pages/A-ZDirAltTherapies.htm

Channel 4 Complementary Therapies pages
Information from the television company designed to help people understand complementary therapies and decide which one may be able to help them.
website: www.channel4.com/health/microsites/C/comp_medicine/remedies.html

The UK Complementary Therapist and Therapy Guide
A directory that provides information on complementary therapies and the location of therapists in the UK.
website: www.therapiesguide.co.uk/

The Association of Reflexologists website: www.aor.org.uk

Complementary Therapists in Walmer and Deal
For details of local practitioners, CLICK HERE and select "Complementary Therapists".

Dover District Volunteering Centre
26 Victoria Road, Deal CT14 7BJ
01304 367898; e-mail: .
website: www.doverdistrictvolunteering.org.uk
The volunteer centre is quality accredited with Volunteering England and recruits volunteers and places them with one or more of 350 plus local voluntary and community groups. It runs a rural transport scheme, is a registered umbrella body for Criminal Records Bureau disclosures and organises the East Kent HealthWalks Scheme. The centre also seeks to raise awareness of volunteering, promote its benefits and stimulate and encourage interest in it. It also advises on good practice for volunteer-involving organisations including inductions, training and supervision; payment of out-of-pocket expenses; insurance cover for volunteers; health and safety policies; and equal opportunities policies.

Deal Area Foodbank, Unit C4, Western Road, Deal CT14 6PJ
01304 728428; e-mail:
website: dealarea.foodbank.org.uk
Twitter: @deal_foodbank
Facebook: Deal Area Foodbank
Deal Area Foodbank is one of over 250 foodbanks providing emergency food to people in crisis. Access to the scheme is carefully controlled through the issue of vouchers to only those in need by a number of local agencies. The supplies of food depend largely on the generosity of the public and a number of local churches, businesses and food outlets. Locally, a main collection point for the public's donations of goods is the Town Hall in Deal High Street.