Today’s Lesson Understand the structure of the NHS. To know what Primary Care Trusts and NHS Trusts are and the service they provide.

Strategic Health Authorities Structure of the NHS Responsible for making all new laws and rules PARLIAMENT Decides what needs to be done and how it will be put into practice; and decides which service gets what amount of money. Department of Health 30 in England and they ensure Primary Care and NHS trusts provide a quality and efficient service. Strategic Health Authorities Primary Care Trusts NHS Trusts (Secondary Care)

Primary Care Trusts Northumberland has 5 primary care trusts. Commission services from NHS trusts. Ensure NHS trusts provide services that are needed by the local population. Manage primary care services: GP surgeries, opticians, dentists and pharmacists. Make sure health and social care work together Provide public information. Register and deal with complaints.

NHS Trusts Self governing units within the health service. Controlled by managers and accountable to the government. Provide secondary health care services Hospitals Ambulance services Mental health and learning disabilities

Primary Health Care These are family health services and they are provided by family doctors (GP’s), practice nurses, district nurses, health visitors, dentists, opticians, and pharmacists and are generally the first (primary) contact a person has with the health service. There is also a lot of preventative work in primary care (e.g. routine check-ups).

Secondary Health Care Secondary care services include general hospitals. Care is often provided following referral from a primary care or community health professional (e.g. a GP may refer a patient to hospital for special tests and investigations). Tertiary care services are specialist hospitals (e.g. specialist cancer care hospitals)

Test Time! – answers in back of books 1. What is meant by the term statutory services? 2. What is the difference between a private and voluntary organisation? 3. What is the difference between primary and secondary care? 4. Name 3 areas of work covered by a primary care trust 5. What is an NHS trust?