The LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing has launched the Lothian LGBT Helpline on 0131 556 4049 and this is available every Wednesday, 12.30-7pm. The helpline offers support and information on a range of issues including sexuality, relationships and coming out. The service is available to anyone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and those questioning their sexuality or gender identity. It is also there to help families, friends, supporters and any other agencies acting on behalf of an LGBT person.
Alternatively, you can call the Strathclyde Gay & Lesbian Switchboard 7-10pm every night on 0141 847 0447.
Highland LGBT Forum
For the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender community
in the Highlands & Islands
in the Highlands & Islands
HELPLINE
Immediate Support:
If you are under 16, please contact LGBT Youth Scotland. They work with under 25s and can offer a text message support service - simply text "info" to 07786 202370 and a trained youth worker will text you back.
Samaritans phoneline
08457 90 90 90
Available 24 hours a day,
7 days a week.
You can also email them.
Breathing Space phoneline
0800 83 85 87
Available 24 hours at weekends (6pm Friday - 6am Monday)
and 6pm - 2am on weekdays (Monday - Thursday).
NHS helplines
NHS inform 0800 22 44 88
A single source of quality assured health information for the people of Scotland, providing information on conditions, local services and common health questions, including where to go for emergency contraception. The service is open 8am - 10pm, 365 days a year.
NHS 24
NHS 24 provides self care advice for people in Scotland, if you're ill and it can't wait until your GP surgery opens call on 08454 24 24 24. The phone line is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
see me is Scotland's national campaign to end the stigma and discrimination of mental ill-health.
Scotland's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Domestic Abuse Project
LGBT Health & Wellbeing
Highland Sexual Health
Highland Sexual Health provides a free, confidential, one-stop service for men and women. The nurses and doctors are specially trained and their aim is to deal with everyone in a friendly, non-judgmental and sensitive way. Clinics are held in Inverness, Aviemore, Invergordon, Fort William, Mallaig, Wick and Thurso.
They offer free condoms & lubricant, as well as testing & treatment of anyone with symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection, HIV testing & treatment, counselling & testing for Hepatitis A & B. Telephone: 01463 704202.
Please note that these links are provided for information and that the web sites concerned do not necessarily represent the views of the Highland LGBT Forum and we are not responsible for their content.
List of external links:
- Action on Depression - Scotland's national charity for depression
- Alcohol Counselling Inverness at 70 Tomnahurich Street, Inverness. Tel: 01463 220 995.
- Alzheimer's Society's LGBT Support Group for people with dementia and their carers
- Befrienders Highland is a voluntary organisation and charity which provides a confidential befriending service for people across the Highland Council Region who have experience of mental ill health and who feel lonely and isolated, both socially and/or geographically.
- Breathing Space a free phone-line for people experiencing low mood and depression in Scotland. Their web site has a useful list of Scottish support groups
Brook Highland
Brook - 77 Church Street, Inverness. Tel: 01463 242434 to check opening hours. No appointments needed.
Free and confidential counselling and sexual health services to young people under 25 (including any aspect of sexuality, sex and relationships). Contraception, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, infection screening, etc.
Ask Brook free helpline number 0808 802 1234.
Text service on 81222 also available - click here for details.
Ask Brook free helpline number 0808 802 1234.
Text service on 81222 also available - click here for details.
- Choose Life Highland - helping to prevent suicide
- Centre for Women's Health (Glasgow)
- Condoms by post (free service run by HIV Scotland)
- Connected Scotland - a website dedicated to gay and bisexual men living with HIV, their partners, family and friends
- Gay Men's Health - Scotland's charity for gay men with offices in Edinburgh & Glasgow offering counselling, advice, testing, remote reporting, information
- Gender Identity Research and Education Society
- Get Rubbered - free condoms and lube by post for men who have sex with men in Lanarkshire, Ayrshire or Grampian (excluding Aberdeen), run by THT in Glasgow
- GMFA - the gay men's health charity
- Health in Mind - charity promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in Scotland includes the Trauma Counselling Line Scotland - Confidential telephone counselling service for male survivors of childhood abuse - call free on 08088 020406.
- Healthy Gay Scotland - sexual advice for gay and bisexual men - includes the Cocktales comics and free condoms by mail order
- Highland Alcohol & Drugs Partnership
- Highland Community Care Forum
- Highland Home Carers - providing a flexible, quality home care and support service, enabling individuals to remain in their own home with assistance in maintaining their current lifestyle and promoting independence where possible. Registered with the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care to provide Care at Home and Housing Support Services.
- Highland Users Group - collective advocacy group, which represents the interests of users of mental health services across the Highlands
- HIV Scotland - the leading national policy and strategic HIV charity.
- HIV Wake-up - information about the importance of HIV testing.
- Lesbian sexual health - NHS information & video
- Lesbians, Bisexual Women and Safe Sex
- Beating about the Bush - PDF download - the Lesbian and Gay Foundation's sexual health guide for women who have sex with women
- LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing (Edinburgh) - meeting place for lots of groups and social activities. Includes T-Time (on the third Saturday of every month) a friendly, informal social event for transgendered folk of every kind (changing facilities available).
- LGBT People with Disabilities in Scotland
- LGBT Youth Scotland - includes lots of info pages and support
- Lothian Gay & Lesbian Switchboard - offers an e-mail support service, an Icebreaker social group, face to face befriending, remote crime reporting, sexual health promotion and social events as well as the main helpline and Lesbian Line.
- Men's Health Highland
- Men's Health Forum Scotland
- PATH - Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health produced a report in 2010 on smoking and tobacco use within Scotland's LGBT community
- Raigmore Hospital G.U.M. Clinic - telephone: 01463 704202
- Relationship Counselling Highland - available in Inverness, Wick, Thurso and Fort William. Telephone: 01463 712888.
- ROAM Outreach - working with cruising men and male sex workers and provides information and support including confidential testing.
- Sexual Health Scotland
- Scottish Recovery Network - to raise awareness of recovery from mental health problems
- Terrence Higgins Trust - largest HIV and sexual health charity in the UK
- Trans Men Scotland - a self help support group for all female to male transgender people, with monthly meetings in Edinburgh and Glasgow
- Waverley Care - charity providing support and sexual health services for HIV and Hep C in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highland, Argyll and Bute
Rape and Abuse Line (RAL)
Based in Dingwall, Rape and Abuse Line (RAL) aims to support survivors of rape and sexual abuse, however long ago their experiences were.
They offer a free and confidential support helpline answered by women (0808 8000 123)
as well as one answered by men (0808 8000 122). RAL also offers free face to face support and counselling sessions within a wide range of Highland and Island areas.
They can also offer support to families or partners of the person affected.
Useful links also include:
Domestic Abuse
