Helpline

Our Stoma helpline is currently 24/7, subject to volunteer availability. 

From the 5th January 2026, the helpline will run 365 days a year, from 9am – 10pm.

If you have questions, need support or just want to talk to someone who lives with a stoma, please call us on 0800 328 4257.

We won’t be able to offer medical advice, however we can help with practical and emotional support. When you call our helpline, you will speak with one of our volunteers or a member of the office team. Our volunteers all have a stoma, are fully trained and will be answering your call from their home.

If you are unable to get through, please leave a voicemail and we will call you back the next working day. Please note that out of hours, we have one volunteer answering the line at a time, so your call may go through to voicemail if someone else is on the line.

Please don’t call the helpline for general enquiries. Our admin line 0118 939 1537 is open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 4pm for all general enquiries including ordering literature, donating, and Tidings questions.

Email

If your support query isn’t urgent, you can email us and we will do our best to reply within two working days.

Privacy

Our contact with you remains strictly private and confidential. We will never pass on your personal data without your consent. You can find our full privacy policy here.

Out of hours support

If you need urgent medical help overnight

If you or the person you care for are unwell, in severe pain, or you are worried that something is seriously wrong:

• Call NHS 111 for urgent medical advice at any time
• Call 999 or go to A&E if it is an emergency

These services are available 24 hours a day and can advise you on what to do next.

For stoma related concerns overnight

For issues such as leaks, sore skin, worries about output, or feeling anxious about managing your stoma at night:

• Some hospital stoma care teams provide emergency contact details for patients. Check any information given to you by your stoma nurse.
• If you are staying in hospital or recently discharged, contact the ward or on call team using the number provided on your discharge paperwork.
• You can refer to our stoma problems webpage which can help with a range of issues such as ballooning, pancaking, blockages, rectal discharge, constipation and sore skin. We also have a wide range of literature titles which can be accessed here.
• You could join our supportive closed Facebook Support Group, which has over 12,000 members. Please note, you need to request to join by answering 3 questions which we need to approve.

Emotional support during the night

If you are feeling overwhelmed, anxious or distressed and need someone to talk to:

• Samaritans are available 24 hours a day on 116 123. You can also email jo@samaritans.org for support – Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen
• CALM (Campaign against living miserably) are available from 5pm – midnight, everyday via their helpline 0800 58 58 58, or via WhatsApp: WhatsApp | CALM
• Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. TEXT ‘SHOUT’ TO 85258 – Crisis Text Line UK
• Childline is there to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through. Childline is free, confidential and available any time, day or night. You can call them on 0800 1111.

These services are there to listen and offer emotional support, whatever you are going through.