Self-Care Forum

What Self-Care Forum does

Self-Care Forum is a UK-registered charity (charity number 116750) founded in 2011 and headquartered in Kingston-Upon-Thames, England. Its core mission is promoting self-care and embedding it in everyday life through education, awareness, and policy advocacy. The Forum operates as a national coordination body for self-care, organising the annual National Self-Care Week (held each November since 2011), running the Self-Care Awards, and publishing evidence-based, PIF TICK accredited fact sheets on common conditions including menopause, urinary incontinence, middle ear infections in children, and Strep A/Scarlet Fever. It also produces specialised resources for underserved populations, including Urdu translations and fact sheets for women in the criminal justice system.

The Forum's product portfolio is content-led rather than technology-led: there is no proprietary platform, software, or AI component. The core technical/intellectual property is the fact sheet library itself, curated with clinical partners such as the NHS National Menopause Clinical Reference Group and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. In 2024 the Forum co-developed the Self-Care Observatory — an international, peer-reviewed evidence repository — with Imperial College London's Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU) and partners including the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Technology Sydney. Distribution of resources occurs through the Forum's website, NHS websites, the Healthinote patient information platform (Cognitant), community pharmacies, schools, and over 400 NHS organisations participating in Self-Care Week.

The business model is that of a grant- and donation-funded nonprofit. All fact sheets and educational resources are provided free of charge. Revenue is sourced from donations (PayPal), corporate sponsorships (e.g., Bayer's support for an Economist Impact report), and partnerships (e.g., International Self-Care Foundation sponsorship of the Self-Care Awards). The organisation is governed by a board of trustees led by Chair Helen Donovan and President Dr Pete Smith OBE, with no parent company, venture backing, or commercial product line. End beneficiaries include the UK general public, NHS organisations, community pharmacies, schools, and policymakers.

Name

Self-Care Forum

Legal name

Self-Care Forum

Website

https://selfcareforum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Self-Care Forum is a UK charity founded in 2011 that promotes self-care through PIF TICK accredited fact sheets, the annual National Self-Care Week reaching 35+ million people, policy advocacy, and the Self-Care Observatory research platform. It serves the UK public, NHS, pharmacies, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston-Upon-Thames

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: The Self-Care Forum operates as a registered charity (charity number 116750) funded primarily through donations and sponsorships. They accept donations via PayPal and have sponsorship arrangements with organizations such as the International Self-Care Foundation for their Self-Care Awards. The organization also benefits from partnerships with corporate entities like Bayer who support specific reports.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Self-Care Forum is a registered UK charity (charity number 116750) that provides free, evidence-based self-care educational resources including an extensive library of 20+ fact sheets on common health conditions, the annual National Self-Care Week awareness campaign, the Self-Care Observatory international research repository, and the Self-Care Awards program. It distributes PIF TICK accredited health information directly to the public and through partners including NHS England, community pharmacies, schools, and the Healthinote platform.

Product overview

Self-Care Forum operates as a UK-based charity offering a portfolio of health education resources focused on self-care. The core product is an extensive library of evidence-based fact sheets covering conditions including menopause, urinary incontinence, middle ear infections, and Strep A/Scarlet Fever, available in multiple languages (including Urdu) and for specific populations (women in criminal justice system). These are complemented by the annual National Self-Care Week awareness campaign, Self-Care Awards program, and the Self-Care Observatory research platform. The Living Self-Care Survey provides UK-wide research data. Content is distributed through partnerships with platforms like Cognitant's Healthinote. The organization is PIF TICK accredited for trusted health information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Self-Care Forum Fact Sheets: Self-care aware fact sheets providing evidence-based information on common conditions, symptoms, and health management.
• National Self-Care Week
• Self-Care Observatory
• International Self-Care Day
• Self-Care Awards

Products and services

• Self-Care Fact Sheets An extensive library of evidence-based self-care aware fact sheets covering common health conditions including menopause, urinary incontinence, middle ear infection, Strep A, and general self-care topics, designed for shared consultations between health professionals and patients.
• Menopause Fact Sheet A self-care aware fact sheet produced in partnership with the NHS National Menopause Clinical Reference Group, covering perimenopause and menopause symptoms, self-care management practices, HRT facts, and when to seek healthcare professional help.
• Middle Ear Infection in Children Fact Sheet A fact sheet helping parents understand what is normal for ear infections in children, expected duration (3-7 days), symptom management, and when to seek medical advice. Designed to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.
• Urinary Incontinence Fact Sheet A comprehensive fact sheet helping adults manage urinary incontinence, covering types of incontinence, symptoms, non-surgical treatments, lifestyle changes, and guidance on when to seek medical attention.
• Strep A & Scarlet Fever Fact Sheet A fact sheet commissioned by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society to educate community pharmacy teams and the public about signs, symptoms, transmission, and care of Strep A and Scarlet Fever infections.
• Fact Sheets for Women in the Criminal Justice System A specialized subset of fact sheets tailored for women in the criminal justice system, addressing their specific self-care needs and health literacy requirements.
• 10 Urdu Fact Sheets A collection of 10 fact sheets translated into Urdu to support self-care education among Urdu-speaking communities in the UK.
• National Self-Care Week An annual UK-wide awareness initiative organized by the Self-Care Forum to raise awareness about the benefits of self-care for physical health and mental wellbeing, attracting participation from NHS, charities, pharmacies, schools, and community organizations.
• Self-Care Observatory An international online repository of evidence-based research on self-care practices, policies, and innovations, featuring curated peer-reviewed research papers with up to 10 key papers per topic overseen by international experts.
• Self-Care Awards An annual awards program celebrating outstanding self-care efforts in communities, recognizing initiatives in education, social prescribing, personalised care, and peer support, sponsored by the International Self-Care Foundation.
• Living Self-Care Survey A UK-wide research programme conducted in collaboration with Imperial College London's Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU), surveying over 3,000 UK adults including clinicians on self-care attitudes, practices, and barriers.
• Webinar Assets: Become Self-Care Aware Recorded webinar materials and assets for organisations to become self-care aware, including presentations and educational content for training purposes.
• Dr Me Project A self-care presentation designed by GP Dr Chee Yeen to empower schoolchildren with skills to manage minor conditions, including workshops on vomiting/diarrhoea, sore throat/fever, and minor head injuries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% of UK adults report handling common symptoms themselves, while only 2% consult a GP
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• University of Southern Denmark (SDU)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024International research partner contributing expertise to the Self-Care Observatory initiative alongside the Self-Care Forum and other academic institutions.
• University of Technology Sydney (UTS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Academic partner in the international self-care summit and the Self-Care Observatory project, bringing expertise from the School of Public Health.
• Worldwide Universities NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration partner in the 2023 international self-care summit that led to the development of the Self-Care Observatory.
• House of Commons Women and Equalities CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Self-Care Forum's menopause fact sheet was featured in the Government's Response to the Menopause and the Workplace Report by the Women and Equalities Commission, acknowledging it as part of the public health campaign for menopause awareness.
• Imperial College London (Self-Care Academic Research Unit - SCARU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research partnership conducting the Living Self-Care Survey Study surveying 3,000+ UK adults on self-care attitudes and behaviours. Collaborated on BMJ Open paper 'What is the interplay between self-care confidence, professional support and health literacy among UK adults?' SCARU and the Self-Care Forum co-developed the Self-Care Continuum framework.
• Men's Health ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration during Men's Health Week (15-21 June annually). The Self-Care Forum's President Dr Pete Smith OBE writes blogs supporting the Men's Health Forum's campaigns. Both organisations advocate for gendered approaches to healthcare and health strategies.
• NHS National Menopause Clinical Reference GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced the menopause fact sheet in partnership with the NHS National Menopause Clinical Reference Group. The fact sheet is designed for health professionals, link workers, and social prescribers to use in shared consultations.
• Royal Pharmaceutical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned the Self-Care Forum to create a Strep A and Scarlet Fever fact sheet to support community pharmacy teams in educating customers about signs, symptoms, and care of these infections.
• Cognitant Group (Healthinote)coreTechnology or IntegrationCognitant works as a content partner, with Self-Care Forum fact sheets available via the Healthinote patient information tool. Cognitant's platform helps improve patient health outcomes by empowering people with clear, reliable health information.
• HARTMANN GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare company partner contributing blog content on urinary incontinence for Self-Care Week. Partnership involves creating educational content about bladder weakness and continence issues.
• Belfast Healthy CityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership delivering the Pharmacy Schools Programme which reached 100 schools in Northern Ireland during Self-Care Week 2023.
• Expert Self Care (ESc)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced a free app to support young carers in partnership with Self-Care Forum. Local organisations can customise pages in the app to help young carers navigate local support services.
• NHS EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary public sector partner in promoting National Self-Care Week. NHS organisations are the main participants in Self-Care Week campaigns. Fact sheets are referenced by NHS services including Pharmacy First.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Men's Health Forum: UK health-awareness charity partner of the Self-Care Forum with overlapping mission around gendered health literacy, awareness weeks (Men's Health Week), and policy advocacy — directly comparable scope, funding model, and audience.
• Expert Self Care: UK self-care organisation that co-produced a young-carers app with the Self-Care Forum; develops self-care resources and digital tools targeting similar patient-education and health-literacy outcomes.
• International Self-Care Foundation: International counterpart founded by Dr Pete Smith OBE's collaborator David Webber; sponsors the Self-Care Awards and co-organises International Self-Care Day. Closest conceptual peer operating at global scale.
• Patient Information Forum (PIF): UK body that administers the PIF TICK accreditation held by the Self-Care Forum; comparable mission around trusted health-information quality, partnerships with NHS, and standards-based content creation.

Broad incumbents

• NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence): UK's authoritative clinical-guidance body, recognised by the Self-Care Forum as endorsing its evidence-based content; produces overlapping condition-specific guidance at much greater institutional scale.
• Diabetes UK: Major UK chronic-condition health charity with overlapping health-literacy, awareness-campaign, and self-management support activity — comparable model at materially larger scale.
• British Heart Foundation: Large UK health charity combining research, awareness campaigns, and patient education; comparable charity structure, awareness-week calendar activity, and NHS-aligned mission but at vastly larger scale.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: UK charity operating parallel model of condition-specific patient information, awareness campaigns, and NHS partnership; comparable audience (patients, NHS, public) and funding mix.
• NHS.uk: UK government health-information platform already distributing and linking to Self-Care Forum fact sheets; broader scope but overlapping content on self-treatable conditions and Pharmacy First referrals.

Others

• Cognitant Group (Healthinote): UK health-information technology partner that distributes Self-Care Forum fact sheets via its Healthinote platform; complementary ecosystem player enabling content reach into NHS consultations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SelfCareForum
• Facebookfacebook.com/SelfCareForum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/self-care-forum
• Instagraminstagram.com/theselfcareforum

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Self-Care Forum