TYPES OF CARE AND CATEGORIES OF CARE ARRANGEMENTS

TYPES OF CARE AND CATEGORIES OF CARE ARRANGEMENTS

SERVICE PROVISION There is a huge variety of health, social care and welfare care available in the UK for the needs of individuals across the whole country. Their provision is complex and changes frequently. In order to understand the system, we need to think first of all about the various types of care and the different categories of establishments which exist.

HEALTH CARE Health care is the medical, nursing, paramedic or therapeutic care available to treat individuals with physical or mental problems which impair their ability to function.

HEALTHCARE SERVICES Primary health care services are those general or ‘first link’ services which are available in the community to treat ailments, illness and minor injuries. Secondary care services are more complex treatments, in a hospital usually, after the individual has been given a diagnosis and has been referred to a specialist.

HEALTHCARE SERVICES Tertiary care services are provided in the community and in establishments for people who suffer from long term (chronic) or terminal illness.

ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CARE SERVICES The care system in the UK has a long history and it changes frequently in response to social, economic and political changes. Perhaps the key event in its development was the inception of the ‘welfare state’ in the 1940 s.