What is the Health Service?

From the moment you were born you were in touch with the Health Service. It helps keep you healthy when you're well, and looks after you when you're ill.

Your Mum probably gave birth to you in a hospital that's part of the health service. You've probably been given injections as you have grown for measles, mumps, rubella and other serious diseases such as polio. If you got those injections in a doctor's surgery, that's part of the health service. If you got them at school, that's still part of the health service because a nurse will give them, not your teacher.

Maybe you've been ill and needed a doctor or a stay in hospital, or maybe you've had an accident and needed emergency help. This is all part of the health service.

You will continue to need health services for the rest of your life, so it's important the services are as good as they can be. This is where we come in.

The Council uses the experience of people using the service, people like you, to help plan to make it better.

Read the other sections on how you can get involved or take my interactive quiz!