The NHS provider sector

The NHS is one of the largest employers in the world and the biggest in Europe, with a workforce of 1.37 million people (full time equivalents) and an annual expenditure of £132bn.
 
It's divided into primary care, secondary care, and tertiary care. Primary care is often the first point of contact for people in need of healthcare, usually provided by professionals such as GPs, dentists and pharmacists.

Secondary care, which is sometimes referred to as 'hospital and community care', can either be planned (elective) care such as a cataract operation, or urgent and emergency care such as treatment for a fracture. Tertiary care refers to highly specialised treatment such as neurosurgery, transplants and secure forensic mental health services.

There are currently 205 NHS providers of secondary and tertiary care – 143 foundation trusts and 62 NHS trusts. Other non-NHS organisations such as charities and private healthcare companies also provide secondary and tertiary care services. 

Of the 205 NHS providers there are:

• 69 acute providers (providing largely hospital-based services). 
• 10 ambulance services.
• 13 community providers (providing services such as district nursing, health visiting).
• 50 integrated providers (for example organisations that provide both acute and community care).
• 19 mental health providers.
• 29 combined mental health and learning disability and community providers.
• 15 specialist providers (providing services such as specialist eyecare or cancer treatment).

Based on the most recent figures available, every year NHS providers:

• Transport more than 4.4 million patients to A&E by ambulance.
• Manage 27.4m A&E attendances.
• Manage more than 135m outpatient appointments.
• Provide 106m contacts in community services.
• Receive over 5m referrals for specialist mental health and learning disabilities services.
• Deliver over 545,000 babies.