Health advice

Department of Health

The Department of Health supports the government to improve the health and well being of the population of England. The Department does not run the NHS or social services. It works with health and social care organisations, arm's length bodies and other public and private sector organisations to deliver health and social care.

Primary Care

Primary Care is the care provided by people you normally see when you first have a health problem. It might be a visit to a doctor or dentist, an optician for an eye test, or just a trip to a pharmacist to buy cough mixture. NHS Walk-In Centres, and the telephone line service NHS Direct, are also part of primary care. All of these services are managed for us by our local Primary Care Trust (PCT) which works with local authorities and other agencies that provide health and social care locally to make sure that our local community’s needs are being met.

Primary care in Rochdale is provided by Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust.

NHS Direct has its own website as well as a local rate telephone number. These provide a 24-hour nurse advice and health information service, providing confidential information on particular symptoms you may be experiencing, health advice, and local services.