The National Health Service (NHS) is split into various types
of Trusts that take responsibility for running the different NHS
services in your local area:
- Acute Trusts
- Primary Care Trusts
- Mental Health Partnership Trusts
Suffolk County Council works closely with the NHS to provide
advice, support and services to the people of Suffolk. The aim is
to deliver services locally with more support at home and in the
community and less time in hospital. For example, district nurses,
together with social workers and occupational therapists,
co-ordinate the care of many people in the community and health and
social care professionals also work together to help people return
home quickly from hospital.
Primary Care Trusts
Primary Care Trusts are responsible for improving health and
providing NHS services to local people, including:
- Children specialists
- Dentistry
- District Nursing
- GP practices
- Health Visitors
- Occupational therapy
- Opticians
- Pharmacy
- Physiotherapy
- Specialist nursing
- Health promotion
There are two Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in Suffolk. Each PCT has a
web site giving you information on how to find your local health
services:
Acute Trusts
Hospitals are managed by Acute Trusts, and they employ a large part
of the NHS workforce, including nurses, doctors, consultants,
midwives as well as jobs related to medicine - physiotherapists,
radiographers, podiatrists and occupational therapists.
NHS in England
Except in the case of emergencies, hospital treatment is
arranged through your GP.
The following hospitals are located in Suffolk
Mental Health Trusts
Mental Health services can be provided through your GP, other
primary care services or through more specialist care, which is
normally provided by Mental Health Trusts. Services range from
psychological therapy, through to very specialist medical and
training services for people with severe mental health
problems.
There are two Mental Health Trusts covering
Suffolk: