How the NHS fits together in North Cumbria

The NHS can be complicated. It's made up of lots of different organisations, services and teams, each with their own roles and responsibilities. Even people working in the system don't always have the full picture.

This guide breaks it down into its different parts, explaining who's who, what they do and how they work together from your local GP practice to the wider organisations responsible for planning and delivering health services.

First, let's get our bearings

Before looking at individual organisations, it helps to understand that NHS boundaries don't always match the boundaries we're familiar with on a map.

The key point: North Cumbria is part of a wider NHS system, but not every organisation working in that system covers exactly the same area.