Your health

Mental health difficulties affect many of us. A good estimate is that one in four of us will experience such problems in our lives.

Well done, you have made the first step in your recovery by recognising you need help. Coming forward for help is not always easy but it is always helpful. It can take time to recover but there are many treatments and people available to make this happen as swiftly as possible.

Talking to your GP

For many of us our GP is the easiest person we can speak to and is the fastest at getting us to the right help. You may wish to make an appointment with your GP to chat with them about what you need.

Your GP knows about the services in your area and will be able to link you into those very quickly.

Statutory Mental Health Services (NHS and Social Care)

The Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) each have a range of teams that will be able to help you. Remember most people recover from mental health problems without needing to ever go into hospital.

Primary Care Mental Health Teams (PCMHT) help people who are often having mental health problems for the first time, whilst Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT) work with people with more complex or longer lasting mental health issues. There are a range of specialist services to meet the needs of a variety of specific issues including crisis, trauma, drugs and alcohol, eating disorders, and psychotherapy.

Working within these teams are mental health practitioners from a range of professional backgrounds, each with their own skills to provide you with the best chance to recover. 

These services provide a wide range of interventions or types of treatment that include psychological “talking” therapies, medication review, support, carers support, help with housing, financial guidance and links to employability.

Other services available to you

The Samaritans – offering support 24 hours a day in full confidence.

Call for free: 116 123

Breathing Space – offer a free, confidential, phone service for anyone in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety. They provide a safe and supportive space by listening, offering advice and providing information

Breathing Space is funded by the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Unit. The service is managed by NHS 24.

Call: 0800 83 85 87

Further Information

Using drugs or alcohol can affect our diets in many ways. The dietitians at ADRS have made nutrition information leaflets with help from service users and staff. These have been specifically made for people using drugs and alcohol or for the people that care for them.

Click on the links below to find information on different nutrition and diet topics:

Click on the link below to find information about the ADRS dietitians and how you can access the service.

Health professionals can refer patients to Glasgow and Clyde Weight Management Service through either SCI Gateway (send to GGC Weight Management Service) or Trackcare.

Alternatively, you can contact the Weight Management Hub by phone or email:

Call: 0141 211 3379 (Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:00 pm)
Email: ggc.weightmanagement.healthrecords@nhs.scot

Information about weight loss medications

Please note, injectable weight loss medications are currently not available through the Glasgow and Clyde Weight Management Service. For more information please visit:

• ‘A Fairer NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’ 2024-25 (PDF)
• ‘A Fairer NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’ Monitoring Report 2022-24 (PDF)
• ‘A Fairer NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’ Monitoring Report 2022-24 Executive Summary (PDF)

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to becoming a leading anti-racism organisation. We want to ensure that our workforce at every level represents the communities we serve and that we are inclusive and welcoming of all patients and staff.

We recognise that racism is a fundamental cause of poor health in affected populations.

We believe our workplace should be a place where discrimination is unacceptable.

We plan to –

• actively seek out and remove racism and discriminatory practice
• identify the systems and behaviour that are allowing this to happen
• ensure that everyone feels able to bring these to light.

Through our tried and tested methods, our staff and patients with lived experience of racism will tell us how well we are doing this. Along with our network of anti-racism organisations, they will also help us shape our ongoing work.

Our Anti-Racism Plan reflects our Equality Outcomes (2025 – 2029) and follows guidance developed by the Scottish Government. It brings together our existing anti-racism work and our planned new activities in a single document.

Our actions are grouped under the following themes.

Leadership and Accountability

Our leaders will be visible in their commitment to stand against racism and will work together to ensure their power and influence successfully delivers our goals. They will continue to invest in established anti-racism work, including activity to increase representation of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people in leadership positions.

Data and Evidence

Our workforce will be supported to provide equality monitoring data that will allow the organisation to determine whether we have a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. This information will allow us to identify any additional measures that need to be taken to ensure inclusion across all areas.

Patient data will be used to measure whether our services are meeting the needs of BME people. There have been significant improvements in gathering ethnicity data in recent years, however more examination is required to find out if we are consistently providing improved access to services for BME people.

Workforce, Culture and Wellbeing

Our ongoing workforce activities will continue to focus on creating fair opportunities and promoting our anti-racist position. These include a dedicated BME leadership programme and a supported BME Staff Network.

Staff are supported to report perceived Hate Crime incidents via NHSGGC’s incident reporting system. Racist incidents are the most commonly reported, which has led to system-wide campaigns supported by resources and training.

We will deliver equality, diversity and inclusion training to all NHSGGC managers which will highlight the manager’s role in tackling racism in the workplace. This will sit alongside our delivery of a range of anti-racism learning opportunities developed by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER).

Equality Focused Service Delivery

Our Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) Programme will continue to be used to highlight the impact any service changes may have on particular communities or groups of patients.

A new Frontline Equality Access Tool (FEAT) is now being used in hospital services to better understand how equality law is translated into everyday activity. The tool allows us to identify areas where staff need additional support to ensure they meet the needs of all patients. This work has helped us develop a patient pathway app, ‘Meeting the Needs of BME People’, which supports staff in understanding and responding sensitively to the needs of BME patients.

NHSGGC Anti-Racism Plan Year 1 Update

Lindsay is an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist (APP) for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, based in the West of Scotland.

What is the role of an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist?

The role of an APP is to help people aged 14 years and older with the diagnosis, management, and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. These conditions include problems with bones, joints, soft tissues, and muscles.

How can they help you? 

There are online guides that can be found on the NHSGGC website, which would be the first step if you’re experiencing any muscle, bone, or joint pain. If you are still struggling, you may have an APP within your GP Practice to book an appointment to see without needing a GP.

An APP has all a GP’s expertise and diagnostic tools, including X-rays, blood tests, and MRI scans as necessary. If further investigations or onward referrals are required, APPs can arrange this.

How can you speak to an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist?  

You can book in directly with an APP at your GP Practice if you have one.

If you don’t have one, you can start self-help by reviewing the NHSGGC website for online guides. You can also self-refer to the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Physiotherapy service, which will provide ongoing treatment if required.

Moira is a Lead Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Inverclyde. She has been based at Greenock Health and Care Centre since 2016. 

What is the role of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner?  

ANPs cover a range of different conditions and can do house visits in the community as well as seeing patients by appointment at GP practices. House visits are allocated by GPs and ANPs will go out to assess the patient. 

How can they help you? 

Our team of nine ANPs can see up to about 50 patients a week for many different conditions like chest infections, COPD exacerbation, falls, back pain and urinary tract infections. Some of these can be dealt with by ANPs in their entirety and others will require onward referral. 

How can you speak to an Advanced Nurse Practitioner? 

You may be referred to an ANP when you contact your GP practice.

Andrew is a Lead Advanced Nurse Practitioner for the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Flow Navigation Centre, also known as Virtual Accident and Emergency (A&E).

What is the role of the Flow Navigation Centre?  

The role of the Flow Navigation Centre, or Virtual A&E, is to support patients aged 5 years old and older with non-life-threatening emergency injuries and illnesses in a virtual capacity. This means patients can be treated safely from home, rather than visiting a potentially busy A&E in person.

How can they help you? 

Virtual A&E is a team of highly experienced Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Emergency Nurse Practitioners, Advanced Paramedics, and Emergency Medical Consultants. They assess patients and can provide self-care treatment from the comfort of home. If required, they can arrange a scheduled in-person appointment at A&E, a Minor Injuries Unit (MIU), or you may be referred to a specialist medical service for your needs.

How can you speak to Virtual A&E? 

By calling NHS 24 on 111, appropriate patients will be referred for an appointment with virtual A&E. Virtual A&E is open 7 days a week.

Patients may also be referred to the virtual A&E team by their GP, Pharmacist, Scottish Ambulance Service, or within a nursing home.

Kate is an Assistant Clinical Director for the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Public Dental Service and has advised on the role of the Out of Hours Dental Service.

What is the role of the Out of Hours Dental Service?  

The role of the Out of Hours Dental Service is to provide people with urgent dental care if needed outside of their dentist’s working hours.   

How can they help you? 

If you are experiencing significant dental pain, or you have any urgent dental need outside of the hours your dentist, the Out of Hours Dental Service can help you if appropriate.  

How can you speak to the Out of Hours Dental Service? 

To access the Out of Hours Dental Service, call NHS 24 on 111, select the dental option and you will receive help and advice.  

The service only provides help for urgent dental conditions, but people are urged to call 111 even if they’re not sure. Even if you are not referred to the Out of Hours Service, you will receive advice on self-care and help available locally. 

If your issue isn’t out of hours, please call your local dentist and provide them with the details of your problem. If they think you require to see someone urgently, they will organise an emergency appointment with them.