We want to make sure that everyone living in our area has the best opportunity to live a happy and healthy life. And we want them to get the support they need, when they need it. We also want to reduce the inequalities in health between different communities.
Much of what we do is delivered through more local Health and Care Partnerships (HCP). There are three of these geographically-based HCPs in Hertfordshire and west Essex, and your local area is represented by one of these.
GP practices are usually the first port of call for people who are unwell. In Hertfordshire and west Essex we have 135 GP practices serving our communities, working in groups of 35 ‘Primary Care Networks’. 295 community pharmacies provide vital medicines expertise and advice on minor ailments in the heart of their communities. Thousands of community and voluntary organisations help to support our residents.
Our area has a number of hospitals and in-patient units to meet people’s physical and mental health needs. Watford General Hospital, Lister Hospital in Stevenage and Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow are our three biggest ‘acute’ hospitals. Residents in our area can also access care and support from mental health organisations such as the Essex Partnership University Foundation NHS Trust (EPUT), Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (HCT), Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH) and Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT).