The Disfigurement Guidance Centre

The work of the Disfigurement Guidance Centre began over thirty years ago. The experience gained in this specialised field enables the centre to offer a range of services which have been found to provide the most effective support for disfigured people and their families.

These services include:-
Information DGC is an international resource bureau Lectures, Disfigurement Education and Social Skills Workshops Research - Social, Educational and Medical
Patient and Family Consultations Fax and Telephone Contact Educational Projects
Publications Together - a network of local co-ordinators Social care and rehabilitation
Personal Postal Advisory Service Skin Camouflage Consultancy fund
Childfriend International Skinlaser Directory National Disfigurement Register of Specialist Services
Laserfair a campaign-appeal fund Publishing a professional journal, Skinlaser Today but read this

Disfigurement Guidance Centre - Services

Information: The Centre acts as an international information and resource bureau and gives information on treatments, literature, compensation and all other relevant services and facilities.

Lectures and Disfigurement Education and Social Skills Workshops.: The Centre receives professional and lay groups for lectures and talks, and also holds regular two-day workshops for those in the caring professions whose work involves the help and support of disfigured patients and their families.

Research - Social Educational and Medical: The DGC charity sponsors and undertakes research. Students are welcomed by prior appointment, and the centre will assist in the preparation of projects and theses on any aspect of disfigurement.

Patient and Family Consultations: for medically referred patients from throughout the United Kingdom and abroad. Patients and their families can obtain help, guidance and continuing support.

Fax and Telephone Contact: The Centre provides a 24 hour Fax line and telephone answerphone and a weekday telephone advisory contact facility. Specialist telephone consultations by appointment only between 6.00 am - 8.30 am.

Educational Projects: Over the last twelve years we have instigated a number of disfigurement education presentations and puppet theatre projects for young children. With the assistance of experienced teachers, the Centre has researched and prepared an innovatory disfigurement awareness campaign , together with a School's Resource Pack, for use in schools throughout the United Kingdom.

Publications: The Centre has an extensive library of books, reports legislation and periodicals. It collates and updates information and assessments and has a wide range of Disfigurement Guidance Centre publications. This includes:- Companion Book Treatment Guides for children and young adults; Companion Book Guidelines for parents and families; Companion Book Image Guides to social skills and self presentation; a newsletter 'Bridge'; an annual International Skinlaser Directory; an annual National Disfigurement Register; a quarterly journal for professionals 'Skinlaser Today'; DGC School Report - the first and only large scale, one to one survey of the attitudes of children in school - and many other books and publications which can be obtained by post from the DGC.

Together: The centre has a 'Together' network of Regional and Area Co-ordinators. Local 'Link-lines' to the charity's head offices provide an eminently sensible way of co-ordinating a nation-wide support and information structure. Co-ordinators liaise with the Centre and other helping agencies to ensure that the best possible assistance is always made available for people and families in their own areas.

Social care and rehabilitation: The centre, in conjunction with medical and social work departments, will sometimes be able to provide opportunities and work experience for men and women who are disfigured.

Personal Postal Advisory Service: Our postal service is here to help you. We give our time and specialised knowledge to you totally free of any charge, but we are a charity and would ask you to enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope with any request for help or written information.

Skin Camouflage: Details of camouflage make-up and covering creams are available on request - if accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope.

Consultancy fund: A special fund to help people with rare and unusual conditions to have specialised care they need within the UK

Childfriend: a unique DGC concept for the creation of user-child-friendly laser treatment areas.

Improved Patient Service:
International Skinlaser Directory. General Practitioners can obtain a copy of our International Skinlaser directory totally free of charge.
This publication lists laser clinics within the NHS and private sector.
It notes the lasers in use at each of these clinics and details the clinical applications of different lasers to assist doctors in referring their patients to the laser centre offering the most appropriate treatments. Clinicians, waiting lists, anaesthetic facilities, prices (where available), the availability of parking and other relevant information is provided.

The information supplied has been approved in all cases by the clinician in charge and/or hospital management.

GPs should write and enclose a C5 size, 36p stamped, self-addressed envelope in order to receive their free copy of this useful Skinlaser Directory.

Improved Patient Service: National Disfigurement Register of Specialist Services.
This new resource publication on the specialist services available for various disfiguring conditions has been provided to meet the demands of changing NHS/GP services in the UK.
It is supplied to General Practitioners in the UK free of charge, to enable them to locate specialist skills and refer their patients to the clinic/hospital offering the most appropriate treatment.

The information supplied has been approved in all cases by the clinician in charge and/or hospital management. The DGC's new National Disfigurement Registry also includes details of voluntary and professional sources of skin/disfigurement information and support, together with useful reading and referral lists.

General Practitioners can obtain a copy of the new national Disfigurement Register totally free of charge by writing with a C5 size, 36p stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Laserfair: A campaign-appeal fund launched and administered by the DGC to establish comprehensive laser facilities within the NHS, for the early treatment of vascular and pigmented lesions and a rapidly increasing range of other skin conditions in people of all ages. The DGC's Laserfair Appeal Fund also sponsors and co-ordinates research to improve the treatment and understanding of these conditions and holds two-day International Skinlaser Workshops.


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