Definition

Over 3 million people live in Wales and use the services of the NHS.

The NHS delivers services through seven Health Boards and three NHS Trusts in Wales.

• Primary care services are provided by general practitioners (GPs) and other health care professionals in health centres and surgeries across Wales.
• Secondary care is delivered through hospital and ambulance services.
• Tertiary care is provided by hospitals which treat particular types of illness such as cancer.
• Community care services are usually provided in partnership with local social services, and delivered to patients in their own homes.

Since October 2009, the planning, funding and delivering of hospital, primary and community care services in Wales has been the responsibility of the seven new Health Boards. These replaced the previous 22 Local Health Boards and seven of the NHS Trusts which existed at the time in Wales.

As well as the new Health Boards, there are now three specialist NHS Trusts in Wales:

• Public Health Wales - which includes screening services and public health services.
• Velindre - which co-ordinates cancer services and includes the Welsh Blood Service
• Welsh Ambulance Services - which provides a range of ambulance services across Wales.  NHS 111 Wales is also part of the Welsh Ambulance Services.

For further information about the NHS in Wales, please visit the Health in Wales website: Our services.