The health system simplified
Like many large bureaucracies, the public health system can seem daunting and confusing. It's important for everyone to have a basic understanding of where they can go to get advice about their health and where to get treatment for any health problems that occur.
It is common for people working in the health system to use the terms 'primary care' and 'secondary care' and most health services fall into one of those.
Primary care - simply speaking, primary care is the first point of contact for most people with the health system. It is delivered by a range of people including General Practitioners family doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and opticians. Primary care focuses on the treatment of common illness and injuries as well as preventive services like helping people to quit smoking.
Secondary care - also known as acute care usually takes place in a hospital. It might be planned care like a hip replacement or kidney dialysis or emergency care after an accident. Unless it is an emergency, you will usually need a referral from someone working in primary care to access secondary care services.
In the UK the NHS has a responsibility to provide certain services. These responsibilities vary across the different parts of the UK.
Find out more about the health system in England.
If you have any questions about how the services differ in other parts of the UK, you can contact:
- Northern Ireland:- Health and social care in Northern Ireland
- Scotland:- NHS Scotland
- Wales:- NHS Wales.
