Produced by Fife Stroke MCN
Information Version No. 1
Date of Issue: November 2024
Review Date: October 2025
If review date has passed, the content will apply until the next version is published
Get involved
The NHS Fife Stroke Managed Clinical Network (MCN) is committed to supporting people affected by Stroke.
If you or a member of your family are interested in becoming involved with the Stroke Network then these are some of the ways in which you choose can be involved:
- Receiving information
- Commenting on documents
- Provide lived experience input
- Attend Meetings
Useful contacts - Quick finder
Advice and support
Fife Carers Centre
Website: www.fifecarerscentre.org
Email: centre@fifecarers.co.uk
Telephone: 01592 205472
Fife Carers Centre is a small charity dedicated to supporting the unpaid carers of Fife. Fife Carers Centre support carers in a wide variety of ways. We can help them to sustain their caring roles without harming their own wellbeing. Working one to one with carers or with common interest groups to help them to deal with some of the difficulties that often arise.
Address: 157 Commercial Street, Kirkcaldy.
CHSS Advice Line
Telephone: 0808 801 0899
Email: adviceline@chss.org.uk
CHSS is a free and confidential practitioner led phone advice line. It provides free confidential advice, support and information to people living with chest, heart,stroke and long-covid conditions, their families, carers and health professionals across Scotland.
Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, Resources Hub
Email: www.chss.org.uk/resources-hub
Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland’s easy-to read booklets and guides will help you understand your condition, manage your symptoms and live well at home. You can download PDF versions or just use the online order form to order a printed copy of any of the resources listed – they are free of charge in Scotland.
Self Help 4 Stroke
Website: http://selfhelp4stroke.org
Self Help 4 Stroke is a self-management website for people who have had a stroke.
Stroke 4 Carers
Website: http://stroke4carers.org
Stroke4carers is an information and support based website offering practical advice, training and information for unpaid carers, family and friends of anyone who has been affected by stroke illness.
Advocacy in Fife (Circles Network Charity)
Tel: 01592 645360
Web: www.circlesnetwork.org.uk/fife/
Advocacy in Fife offers support to adults in Fife living with disability
Open Monday - Friday 9am – 5pm
Address: Circles Network
16 East Fergus Place
KY1 1XT.
Stroke Association Scotland
The support offered by Stroke Association Scotland includes:
Helpline: email helpline@stroke.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 3033 100
Website: https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/support/
• Helpline (helpline available in BSL),
• Stroke support groups,
• Stroke health publications (available in several languages)
• Information videos (on Stroke Association YouTube channel),
• Communication support packs with accessible information for people at home and in the community,
• Online community with various activities and chat forums
• Weekly volunteer calls
• Carers support information
• A childhood stroke support team
Citizens Advice & Rights Fife
Website: www.cabfife.org.uk
Phone for free, impartial, confidential and independent advice or to arrange an appointment at your nearest office.
- General Advice: 0345 1400095
- Debt Advice: 0345 1400094
- Welfare Benefits: 0345 1400092
- Macmillan Services: 0345 1400091
- Tax Services (Deaf Community) 07872677904
Different Strokes
Information Line: 0345 1307172
Website: www.differentstrokes.co.uk
Different Strokes is a UK Charity founded in 1996 by a younger stroke survivor. The aim is to support younger and working age survivors, their family and friends while showing the world that stroke doesn’t just happen to older people. If you would like to join the group please contact them on the information number above.
Living with your condition – getting out and about
Blue Badge Scheme
Website: Blue Badge Scheme
Email:
European.Parkingbadges@fife.gov.uk
Telephone: 03451 550066
The Blue European Parking Badge Scheme is intended to help those who would be physically incapable of visiting shops, public buildings and other places unless allowed to park close to their destination. Badges are granted to those with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or passengers, to registered blind people and to drivers with very severe upper limb disabilities who cannot turn a steering wheel by hand. Holders of a Blue European Badge are entitled to a range of parking concessions. You can get an application form for a Blue Badge from a Fife Council Local Service Centre.
Southeast Mobility & Rehabilitation Technology (SMART) Centre
Telephone: 0131 537 9177
SMART Centre – NHS Lothian's Southeast Scotland Mobility & Assistive Technology Centre
The SMART Centre provides a wide range of rehabilitation technology services for the South East of Scotland, covering Lothian, Fife and the Borders. These include mobility and postural services (wheelchairs and special seating), prosthetics,
orthotics and bio engineering services (artificial limbs and special equipment), a Disabled Living Centre and Gait Analysis Service. Also provide a national Driving Assessment Service.
Fife Council Community Transport
Community transport | Fife Council
Fife Council provide a variety of different transport options to help get you out and about. The website below will help point you to decide what type of transport best suits your needs.
The service includes—Fife Bus, Shopmobility, Royal Voluntary Service and many more.
Living with you condition – getting out and getting active
Active Options
Keeping fit and healthy can be a challenge if you live with a long term condition. Exercise has many benefits to your physical and mental well-being. Active Options is a programme of exercise classes which is tailored to your individual ability. Further information is available from Fife Leisure or you can email the Active Options Co-coordinators or ask your health care professional to refer you.
Euan's Guide
Website: www.euansguide.com
Euan’s Guide features disabled access reviews from disabled people and their friends and families. The aim of the guide is to empower disabled people by providing information that will give confidence and choices for getting out and about. It removes the ‘fear of the unknown’ when visiting a venue for the first time.
As well as tourism and entertainment venues such as hotels, restaurants, bars, theatres and visitor attractions, Euan’s Guide features disabled access reviews of any place that is visited as part of everyday life such as post offices, railway stations, supermarkets and many others.
Euan MacDonald lived in Edinburgh with Motor Neurone Disease .
Headway Northeast Fife
Email: NorthEastFife-Headway@hotmail.com
More Information can be found at Headway - the brain injury association | Headway
Headway Northeast Fife is volunteer-led branch of Headway. The Brain Injury Association. Meetings are held on the 1st Thursday of every month between 1pm and 3pm.
Address:
St Davids Centre
23 Albany Park
St Andrews
KY16 8BP
Bums off seats
Walking | Active Fife - leisure hub
Bums off Seats is a Fife Walking Initiative. Free local health walking opportunities in Fife are provided and all walks are led by a trained team of Volunteer Walk Leaders. For further information please contact the Bums off Seats team.
Accessible Walks
There are a number of accessible walks in Fife. Here are some helpful links to help you decide where you might like to visit.
Accessibility guide to Fife - Welcome to Fife - Accessibility guide to Fife
The Loch Leven Heritage Trail | Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust
Accessible Holidays In Fife
There are a number of accessible holiday homes in Fife, here are some helpful links:
The Homelands Trust Fife
Telephone: 01333 329039
Email: info@homelands-fife.co.uk
Website: www.homelands-fife.co.uk
The Rings
Telephone: 01334 828243
Website: The Rings - Enabling holidays for all
Accessible formats
If you require this information in a community language or alternative format such as Braille, audio, large print, BSL, or Easy Read, please contact the Equality and Human Rights Team at: email: fife.EqualityandHumanRights@nhs.scot or phone 01592 729130. For people with a hearing or verbal impairment you can also contact the team through the NHS Fife SMS text service number on 07805800005.
