The National Health Service (NHS) is the administrator of all things health in the UK. It’s an enormous organisation and one of the top employers in Europe. Its enormity means that the only way it can function efficiently is to be supported and assisted by healthcare professionals and other key organisations in the public sector.
The structure of the NHS, which relies strongly on integrated care systems, has the potential to be overwhelming, but we’re going to break it down for you.
Think of the NHS structure as a pie.
The outer crust (NHS) surrounds the pie, maintaining its shape and ensuring that the filling doesn’t ooze out.
Inside the crust, the pie is divided into quarters: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Each quarter is cut into slices. Each slice is an entity that plays a role in regional and local healthcare administration. These include the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Integrated Care Systems (ICS), Primary Care Networks (PCN), NHS Boards, NHS Trusts, etc.
So where do we start?
At the top, of course.
UK Government & Prime Minister
The National Government, represented by the Prime Minister, is the overarching power that develops, ratifies or vetoes changes to legislation on a national level.
The Government determines the funding available to the NHS and plays a key role in policy-making and prioritising healthcare matters that affect the entire UK.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (SoS H&SC) / Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
The Secretary of State oversees the Department of Health and Social Care. It’s the Secretary’s responsibility to exercise financial control and oversight of all NHS organisations, while also directing health and social care policies and ensuring that the priorities identified by the Government are met.
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
The CQC is an independent non-departmental public body. Its role is to regulate and inspect health and care service providers throughout the UK.
The CQC reports to the Secretary of State.
NHS England (NHSE)
The NHS in England is the quarter of the pie that ensures funding flows in the right direction, and that operational performance is well maintained. This makes it the primary regulatory body and overarching leader of England’s NHS services.
NHS Digital
NHS Digital falls under NHS England’s ambit, via the Transformation Directorate. It’s responsible for all things digital, electronic, and IT-related in the UK’s health and care system. For example, it develops and oversees the operations that support healthcare professionals, enabling them to provide the best care possible to patients.
Integrated care systems in the NHS ensure clinicians and healthcare providers have access to the latest advanced tech, diagnostic equipment, and software management solutions that do things like manage inventory and track and trace patient information.
NHS England Regional Teams
Seven regional teams carry out the same services and functions of the NHS in England. However, they manage these operations on a smaller scale within designated regions.
Teams are supported by Integrated Care Systems (ICS) that ensure operations are implemented and carried out efficiently.
NHS England Transformation Directorate
The Directorate plays a key role in the digitisation of England’s health and care services. It forms transformation partnerships with NHS England and the Department of Health to integrate and manage the digital transformation of all health and social care-related bodies nationally and regionally.
Academic Health Science Network (AHSN)
Fifteen regional networks are tasked with improving patient and population health. NHS improvement is achieved by ensuring that education, research, innovation, and training are aligned and functioning efficiently.
Integrated Care Systems (ICSs)
There are 42 ICSs throughout England, each of which comprises several organisations that work together to provide integrated healthcare that improves patient care and supports local caregivers and other residents in their designated area.
Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs)
An ICP is a statutory committee whose members include the NHS Integrated Care Board and upper-tier local authorities within a designated ICS area. The aim is to gather diverse partners who are committed to improving the care, health, and well-being of the local population.
This is achieved by implementing integrated healthcare systems designed to meet national and regional governments’ health and well-being objectives.
Primary Care Networks (PCNs)
There are 1250 PCNs throughout the NHS in England. Networks consist of GP practices and various healthcare and wellness bodies operating in mental health, pharmacy, social care, and hospital services.
The aim is to provide personalised care while maintaining the capacity to meet the local health needs of tens of thousands of people.
Networks cover an area based on GPs’ lists of registered patients, usually up to a maximum of 50,000 community members.
Service Providers
NHS providers operate locally, usually within small communities. These community services can be classified as primary care, secondary care, tertiary care, community health, and the private sector.
- Primary Care: The first point of contact, for example, pharmacies, GP practices, and dental practices.
- Secondary Care: Elective care, emergency care (999, 111, and ambulances), and mental health care.
- Tertiary Care: Specialist services, for example, oncology, ophthalmology, and organ transplants.
- Community Health: The care system comprises care providers like district nurses, as well as child and sexual health services.
General Practices
These are walk-in centres where people can pop in for general health-related matters, for example, advice for preventative healthcare.
Local Authorities
Local authorities are responsible for community-wide public health programmes. For example, creating and implementing a strategy to combat drug use in the local population by providing hostels where drug abusers can find shelter, food, an empathetic ear, rehab options, and job readiness training.
NHS Northern Ireland
NHS Northern Ireland is the quarter of the pie that manages health, wellness, and well-being nationally. However, here the NHS is known as Health and Social Care (HSC).
The NHS structure in Northern Ireland differs from England.
The Department of Health oversees all health-related matters, but after that, there is the Health and Social Care Board and five Health and Social Care Trusts, as well as the NI Ambulance Trust.
Department of Health (DoH)
The DoH is responsible for three key areas in the sector.
1) Health and Social Care: Creating and implementing policies and legislation governing hospital services, family practitioner services, and community wellness services.
2) Public Health: Administration of policies and legislation regarding the protection of the public’s health and well-being.
3) Public Safety: Administration of policies and legislation for fire and rescue services.
Health and Social Care Board
The Board is the middleman between the DoH and Social Care Trusts. Its primary roles include commissioning services, managing resources, and performance analysis and improvement.
The Board is also responsible for managing contracts with professional skills providers, including GPs, opticians, and pharmacists.
Health and Social Care Trusts
The Trusts are largely independent, with the authority to manage their NHS funding and staff complement. They oversee the provision of services within designated local systems to ensure they are properly implemented and operate at maximum efficiency.
NHS Scotland
This is the quarter of the pie that oversees all healthcare, social care, and well-being services in Scotland. The Scottish Government manages NHS Scotland. Once again, the structure of the NHS in Scotland differs from England and Northern Ireland.
One of the biggest differences is that Scotland doesn’t have Trusts. The country has seven NHS Boards, Public Health Scotland, and 14 regional Health Boards which oversee 32 Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) or Integrated Care Boards.
NHS Boards carry out national health-related services, like wellness education and blood transfusion services.
Each Regional Health Board is responsible for planning and providing healthcare and social care services specific to their community. They commission essential services, including community health services and independent contractors at the local level – dental practices, for example.
NHS Wales
This is the quarter of the pie that oversees all healthcare-related matters in Wales. NHS Wales comprises Public Health Wales, Local Health Boards (LHBs), NHS Trusts, and national support services.
Seven LHBs are responsible for the development and provision of primary, secondary, tertiary, and community health services that meet their specific community’s needs. Their mission is to deliver services that promote and improve physical and mental health outcomes. One of their primary objectives is to eliminate inequalities in the delivery of healthcare services.
Three National NHS Trusts oversee public services, like ambulance services and specialist services, such as oncology.
Seven Community Health Councils (CHCs) also work within designated regions, where they represent the public in various health services.
Public Health Wales is responsible for organising and then assessing various campaigns in the country.
Accessible Market Research And Data For The Healthcare Sector
The best way to target the healthcare sector in the UK is to understand the market. However, conducting market research takes time and resources, and needs specialists in B2G marketing to interpret data and provide guidance going forward.
Cadence Marketing provides the data you need to capitalise on B2G marketing opportunities in health and social care. Contact us and book a free consultation where you’ll discover how our experts can boost your marketing efforts.
