Wessex and West Region

The Strategic Health Authorities is responsible for:

• Developing plans for improving health services in their local area,
  Making sure local health services are of a high quality and are performing well,


• Increasing the capacity of local health services - so they can provide more services,


• Making sure national priorities - for example, programmes for improving cancer services - are integrated into local health service plans.

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Primary Care is the care provided by people you normally see when you first have a health problem. It might be a visit to a doctor or dentist, an optician for an eye test, or just a trip to a pharmacist to buy cough mixture. NHS Walk-in Centres, and the phone line service NHS Direct, are also part of primary care. All of these services are managed for you by your local Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Your PCT will work with local authorities and other agencies that provide health and social care locally to make sure that your local community's needs are being met.

Links to PCTs in the Wessex & West Region can be found on the NHS Web Site - PCTs.

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NHS foundation trusts are a fundamental part of the current NHS reform programme. They reflect the move from a centrally managed service towards one that is managed locally and so more responsive to patients.

Read more on  'Monitor' the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts web site.  List of NHS Foundation Trusts

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This web site's links will take you to web sites for any of the region's Local Authorities (Councils), including contacts for Social Services.

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Find your local PPI Forum on the 'Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health' website.

Patient and Public Involvement Forums (PPIFs) have been set up for every NHS Trust and Primary Care Trust (PCT) to enable patients and the public to influence and work with those who make decisions about health. They will have a wide membership which is representative of the local community. Forums will monitor the effectiveness of the Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) in their area.

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NICE Provides patients, health professionals and the public with authoritative, robust and reliable guidance on current “best practice”. The guidance covers both individual health technologies (including medicines, medical devices, diagnostic techniques, and procedures) and the clinical management of specific conditions including MS.

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News and information about the Department and its work, including: publications, news, statistics, surveys and research & development.

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The South West Public Health Observatory (SWPHO) aims to improve the health of the population in the South West. Through the collection, monitoring and analysis of data, we produce evidence to inform decision-making on health issues at local, regional and national levels.

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Moving from patient to person.
If you live with a long-term illness, why not take control by becoming an Expert Patient. The Expert Patients Programme is a self-management course giving people the confidence, skills and knowledge to manage their condition better and be more in control of their lives.

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