Primary care
Primary and community care is at the heart of our communities, engaging with people throughout their life and is often the first point of contact with the NHS and social care. Within Wales the 60 multi-professional clusters are the geography upon which the needs of people are met through the right care, from people with the right skills, at the right time, and in the right place.
What is primary care?
Primary care services provide the first point of care, day or night, for more than 90% of people’s contact with the NHS in Wales. General practice is a core element of primary care but is not the only element – other services such as pharmacy, dentistry and optometry increasingly provide care directly to the public. The primary care contribution is also – importantly – about coordinating access for people to the wide range of services in the local community to help meet their health and wellbeing needs. These community services include a very wide range of staff, such as community and district nurses, midwives, health visitors, mental health teams, health promotion teams, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, phlebotomists, paramedics, social services, other local authority staff and all those people working and volunteering in the wealth of independent sector and voluntary organisations which support people in our communities.
Greener Primary Care Wales
A free online framework that encourages Primary Care Practices to reduce their impact on the climate by taking a number of clinical and non-clinical climate-friendly actions. Read more about Greener Primary Care Wales and the framework here.
Inhalers and their environmental impact
Inhalers contribute significantly to NHS Wales carbon footprint. Access information, resources, educational material and communications material about inhaler prescribing and use in Wales.
Primary care model for Wales
The model for primary and community care, describes how care will be delivered locally, now and in the future, as part of a whole-system approach to deliver A Healthier Wales. Learn more about the Primary care model for Wales in our information pages.
Cluster working
A cluster brings together all local services involved in health and care across a geographical area, typically serving a population between 25,000 and 100,000. Working as a cluster ensures care is better co-ordinated to promote the wellbeing of individuals and communities. You can learn more about cluster working here.
Primary dental care
Supporting and leading oral health and dental services improvement in Wales. A number of programmes and general dental reform will support the people of Wales to have better oral hygiene and reduce conditions linked to oral health. Find more detail on the dental programmes of work here.
Reducing health inequalities and inclusion health
The Wales Inclusion Health Programme supports primary care services developing or reviewing services to consider and adapt to the needs of their most vulnerable populations.
Prevention in primary care
Prevention is central to the future of primary care in Wales, shifting the focus from treating illness to supporting long-term health and wellbeing. Learn more about prevention in primary care.
Veteran and ex-service personnel health care
The ex-service / veterans health – guidance for general practices document, describes what all general practices in Wales need to do to support ex-service / veterans and their families, including provision of care, signposting to and/or referral to relevant services where appropriate. Access the guidance for general practices to prevent service personnel and veterans being disadvantaged when accessing healthcare.
Primary care events
Register for topical webinars and access post-event information to support Primary Care practices in Wales.
Register for primary care events informationPrimary care division
The Primary care division provides an overview of the strategic direction of primary and community care in Wales, the Primary Care Model for Wales, and an overview of the roles and responsibilities of professional collaboratives, multi-professional clusters and pan-cluster planning groups. With the aim of sharing information, raising awareness and influencing action, to improve the health and well-being of the population of Wales.
Primary Care One
Contact
Table of contents:
- What is primary care?
- Greener Primary Care Wales
- Inhalers and their environmental impact
- Primary care model for Wales
- Cluster working
- Primary dental care
- Reducing health inequalities
- Inclusion health
- Prevention in primary care
- Veteran and ex-service personnel health care
- Primary care events
- Primary care division
- Contact
- Further information
- Reports
- Data
- Resources
Reports
Data
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