MEET THE GOVERNORS: Kettering governor explains more about Northamptonshire's health scene

A KGH governor has gone into more details about Northamptonshire s health scene.

The governors at KGH have teamed up with the Northants Telegraph to give our readers an insight into their role and the work they do.

Professor Peter Woolliscroft, lead governor and public governor for Kettering, has written the latest in a series of pieces about the governors which we will be bringing to you in the coming weeks.

In his second piece about Northamptonshire's changing health scene, Prof Woolliscroft told the Northants Telegraph: "In this article I want to explain many of the terms you will see relating to healthcare such that you can fully understand the topic.

"Let’s start with the basics; there are three basic types of care you will hear about: primary, secondary, tertiary and occasionally, quaternary care.

"Primary care refers to GP surgeries, dentists, pharmacy services, such as found at GP premises, in the high street and supermarkets.

"Secondary care focuses on hospital services, in patients and all the diagnostic services like X rays plus outpatient services.

"Tertiary care is specialist services like brain surgery often delivered in hospitals but could be in other settings.

"Quaternary care is similar to tertiary but highly specialised, such as experimental medicine and some types of uncommon diagnostic or surgical procedures

"Turning to secondary care or hospitals, most hospitals are part of a foundation trust arrangement of management however not all, Northampton hospital isn’t a foundation trust, Kettering hospital is.

"Also, there is the Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust who, each day deliver many of the NHS services people in Northamptonshire receive in the community at home, work or in schools including a range of mental health facilities.

"What is different between these trusts?

"Being a foundation trust means that it is better able to provide and manage its services to meet the needs and priorities of the local community, as the trust is free from central Government control unlike non foundation trusts.

"To ensure accountability they must have members who elect governors to hold the board to account for its actions in managing the services.

"Next time we will look a little closer at GP services."

We will be hearing more from the governors in the coming weeks so keep an eye out for the stories if you want to learn more about the governors and their role at KGH.

To read the first piece from Prof Woolliscroft on Northamptonshire's changing health scene, click here.

If you have a question for the governors, email it to [email protected].

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