How local health services are organised

Locally, health services are provided by a range of different services, such as GPs, hospitals, community services, and the voluntary and private sector.

This section has information about:

• how local needs are planned for
• how local services are planned and monitored (commissioned)
• who delivers health services in South Tyneside

Health and Wellbeing Board

The South Tyneside Health and Wellbeing Board makes sure that local services work together to respond to the community's needs and priorities. 

The board includes:

• local councillors
• representatives from the Council
• representatives from health services
• Healthwatch South Tyneside, to make sure patients and communities have a voice in decisions that affect them

Understanding health needs in South Tyneside

The board uses data from a range of places to understand the needs of the local area.

See the latest data on the needs of children and young people with SEND in South Tyneside.

This information is used to help the South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Council to understand what services are needed, and what services need to be changed.

Commissioning is the continual process of planning, agreeing and monitoring services.

In South Tyneside, services are commissioned by:

• the South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
• the Joint Commissioning Team (South Tyneside Council and the South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group)
• Public Health (South Tyneside Council)

They commission services from a range of organisations including hospitals, community health services and the private and voluntary sectors.

All of these organisations must be registered with the health care regulator, the Care Quality Commission.

They make sure that services are safe and delivered in line with national guidance and quality standards.

Commissioning services locally makes sure that services that are available are tailored to the needs of people that use them.

See our Joint Commissioning Strategy for children and young people with SEND.

See South Tyneside CCG: How we work.

When services are brought in or changed

When commissioners design or change services, they work in partnership with:

• South Tyneside Council
• South Tyneside Parent Carer Forum
• Schools / settings
• Children and young people with SEND and their families
• Voluntary services, such as Autism in Mind and Toby Henderson Trust.

Health services are provided by a range of different services.

The NHS offers a wide range of health services which are free at the point of access and aim to put patients and their families first. 

There are a number of different organisations that make up and support the NHS.

The Department of Health and Social Care is responsible for government policy on health and adult social care, and oversees the NHS.

Services are also provided by voluntary organisations, charities, and the private sector (services that you pay for).

GPs, pharmacies, dentists and opticians

These are sometimes known as 'first point of contact' or 'primary care' or 'general practice' services.

South Tyneside and Sunderland Foundation Trust

The South Tyneside and Sunderland Foundation Trust provides services such as therapies, paediatrics and the Lifecycle Mental Health Service.

Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust

The Cumbria Northumberland Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust provides the Children and Young Peoples Service (CYPS), including specialist children's mental health services, and autism and ADHD diagnosis.