Primary Care

Primary Care Trusts (PCT)s, are the National Health Services (NHS) responsible for improving the health of the people living in their area. PCTs plan local health services, in partnership with local NHS Trusts, local government and the local community.

A PCT holds the NHS budget for the area and uses this money to commission health services for its local population.  PCTs also provide services and these include community nursing, community physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, chiropody and community hospitals.

PCTs also provide wheelchair services and home loans, health promotion, child health services including school nursing, family planning, child health and child protection and NHS Services in Schools. Within the area, primary care services are well developed with all General Practitioner (GP) surgeries providing services additional to General Medical Services.

Ashford is covered by the East and Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust.

Secondary Care

As its name suggests, this is the second stage of treatment, which may follow primary care provided by doctors. It usually involves a hospital visit as an outpatient or inpatient.

Ambulance

Ambulance trusts provide emergency access to healthcare. The South East Coast Ambulance Service covers the whole of Kent, Surrey and Sussex and also provides patient transport to help some hospital patients get to hospital.

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Forums

These forums replaced Community Health Councils in December 2003 and each NHS organisation has an PPI Forum assigned to it.  The forums are made up of volunteers from the local community and act as the watchdog for local health issues.