What are community health services?
This guide explains what community health services are and the key role they can play in supporting people and delivering care.
Community health services cover ‘cradle-to-grave’ services that many of us take for granted. They provide a wide range of care, from supporting patients to manage long-term conditions, to treating those who are seriously ill with complex conditions.
Most community healthcare takes place in people’s homes. Teams of nurses and therapists coordinate care, working with professions including GPs and social care. Additionally community health provides preventative and health improvement services, often with partners from local government and the third sector.
Although less visible than hospitals, they deliver an extensive and varied range of services employing some 250,000 staff.
