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Ensuring equality of access to health and care services, and to employment opportunities, is a fundamental Department of Health responsibility.
This section is designed to provide information on how the Health System operates in north Wales and how to contact your local health agency.
How NHS Wales is Organised
The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for policy direction and for allocating funds to the National Health Service (NHS) in Wales.
There are four NHS Trusts in North Wales.
Within each of these Health Trusts there are Local Health Boards. Each Local Health Board have a decision-making board which is made up of local doctors, a nurse, other health professionals, members of the local council and voluntary organisations, and others to represent the voice of patients. They also have a small executive team to put the decisions into action and provide services for the public.
The NHS in Wales provides 4 levels of care:
* Primary care – is provided through family doctors, opticians, dentists, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals Links for primary care (all NHS Wales GP Surgeries) can be found at NHS Directory Links click your local authority area, then on GP surgeries in the search function this will present you with list and details of surgeries in your area.
** Secondary care – is more specialist care provided through hospitals and ambulance services click here for contact information
** Tertiary care – provided through specialist hospitals treating particular types of illness such as cancer click here for contact information
Community care – provided by the NHS in partnership with local social services to help vulnerable people, such as the elderly or people with disabilities, live in their own homes rather than in institutions*Health Services other than primary care are generally provided by NHS Trusts.
**Interpreters and link workers should be employed by the health authority, and have proper job descriptions and career prospects. You can ask for this support to be made available to you
Racial Harassment
If you feel that you are being discriminated against or treated unfairly because of your race, colour, nationality (including citizenship), and ethnic or national origin you should report it
- Racial harassment is a serious problem and does occur in the health care sector.
- Racial harassment includes not only physical attacks on people but also verbal abuse and any other form of behaviour that deters people from using primary health care services.
Similarly, GPs and other primary health care service providers should be alert to the possibility that stress and certain other conditions may be caused by racial harassment.
Click here for more information about this:
Making complaints
Access the NHS leaflet (pdf) about making complaints can be found by clicking here
Good practice
Staff should be aware of the differing preferences applying to women from different cultures in relation to there personal care and attendance when undergoing medical treatment. Click here for examples of good practice.
Access to more information
To access information on health care in North Wales including dentists, doctors, hospitals etc. go to: NHS Directory Links. This will take you to an excellent site with plenty of other information if you wish to explore it further.
The following links will provide you with lists of contact details within your local authority area.
Conwy and Denbighshire Trust
Boards
Wrexham and Flintshire Trust
Boards
Anglesey and Gwynedd Trust
Boards
For the first time, Wales has a single Ombudsman combining the reponsibility for all of the Public Services in Wales including Social Housing and complaints about Registered Social Landlords (housing Associations). Click on the link above or e-mail ask@ombudsman.org.uk
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North Wales Race Equality Network |