Useful info

Quick links to topics on this page

OK, it's your first day in a Primary Care Trust and you're wondering what is going on! The links below will provide useful information to help orientate yourself!

Rather than overload, here are a few key websites to begin with. Other helpful sites can be found on the useful links page of this website.

For a rapid overview of what public health is about - Public Health Resource Pack

The National Library for Health has useful links to a number of health-related websites - www.library.nhs.uk

Find out about how the Department of Health is structured and about health care, social care and public health.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health.

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) was established by Government in 2001 to improve social care services for adults and children in the United Kingdom

The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards.

The UK National Screening Committee advises Ministers and the NHS in all four UK countries about all aspects of screening policy and supports implementation.

The Healthcare Commission (HCC) is the independent watchdog for healthcare in England. The HCC assesses and reports on the quality and safety of services provided by the NHS and the independent healthcare sector, and works to improve services for patients and the public.

The Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO) represents a network of 12 public health observatories (PHOs). Public Health Observatories produce information, data and intelligence on people's health and health care for practitioners, policy makers and the wider community. If you are looking for data, this is a great place to start.

Click on the links below to find out about some of organisations in Thames Valley you are likely to encounter during your training.

The South East Public Health Observatory - For public health data and statistics and publications on a number of public health topics.

Health Profiles provide a snapshot of the health of each local council in England and allow comparisons to be made at a local and national level.

Neighbourhood statistics provides a rapid overview of the demographic data of an area.

Clinical Health and Outcomes Database provides a one-stop source of all information on health outcomes generated by the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development (NCHOD), such as epidemiological data on various diseases.

Useful links for starting out