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NHS Wales (Welsh: Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol Cymru (GIG Cymru)) is the publicly funded healthcare system of Wales. NHS Wales was originally formed as part of the same NHS structure created by the National Health Service Act 1946 but powers over the NHS in Wales came under the Secretary of State for Wales in 19691. In turn, responsibility for NHS Wales was passed to the Welsh Assembly and Executive under devolution in 1999.
Most people in Wales will have access to a District General Hospital which provides a range of services on an outpatient, inpatient and day case basis. Some of these hospitals also provide specialist services such as burns and plastics and cardiac surgery. NHS Wales also provides community services which includes district nurses, health visitors, midwives and community based speech therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
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Health boards
Local Health Boards (LHBs) were created in 2003 to replace Health Authorities in Wales [1] [2]. A Welsh NHS trust will typically administer all hospitals in a region, as well as all community care and mental health functions. There are 12 regional Trusts that cover groups of local authority areas, as well as one further Trust for the Welsh Ambulance Service and another, Velindre [3], for the operation of nationwide agencies and services.
Wales largest teaching hospital, the University Hospital of Wales based in Cardiff is the largest hospital outside London and 3rd largest in the United Kingdom.
Staff
NHS Wales provides public healthcare in Wales and employs some 90,000 staff, making it Wales’ biggest employer.2 The Minister for Health and Social Services is the person within the Welsh Assembly Government who holds cabinet responsibilities for both health and social care in Wales.
Most staff working for the NHS in England and Wales, including non-clinical staff and GPs (most of whom are self-employed) are eligible to join the NHS Pension Scheme which, from 1 April 2008, is an average-salary defined benefit scheme.
Other NHS Wales bodies
Another important organisation in the structure is Health Commission Wales. This is an executive agency of the Welsh Assembly Government whose primary role is to centrally organise and fund all Tertiary care and other highly specialist services. It also provides advise and guidance about specialist services to other parts of NHS Wales.
NHS Direct Wales/Galw Iechyd Cymru provides a non-emergency telephone enquiry service, with callers being given the option of talking in Welsh or English.
See also
References
- ^ Introduction to NHS Wales 1960's www.wales.nhs.uk
- ^ Introduction to NHS Wales - Staff www.wales.nhs.uk