The NHS is free at the point of delivery. In the NHS, England is divided into seven regional areas. We are located in Kent, which is in south east England. Other trusts which make up Kent and Medway the integrated care system include:
- Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT)
- NHS Kent and Medway
- Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW)
- Medway Community Healthcare (MCH)
- Kent County Council (KCC)
- East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT)
- Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (DGH)
How is care provided in the NHS?
Care provided by the NHS is split into four categories:
Primary care · Secondary care · Tertiary care · Community care.
KCHFT is a community care organisation. See an overview of the NHS healthcare ecosystem.
Primary care
Some primary care services do incur a charge to the patient. Patients may be expected to contribute to the cost of dental and eye care. For most people, prescription medication incurs a standard charge. Private care usually incurs a cost to the individual.
What is the CQC?
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
Each health and social care service is regulated by the CQC and given a rating of outstanding, good, requires improvement, inadequate or not rated. You may be working when your organisation is inspected. You will usually be expected to carry on with your normal duties while the CQC observe or you may be asked to answer questions. The CQC will deliver their conclusion following the inspection. The rating will be reflective of the organisation and the services it provides rather than individual staff members.
What is the HCPC?
The Department of Health and Social Care (HCPC) is a regulatory body for healthcare professionals working in the UK. Others include the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the General Medical Council (GMC).
The HCPC audits each profession every two years, based on your continuing professional development (CPD). Only a selection of registrants will be audited. Find out more about CPD requirements.
You may be asked about your professional indemnity insurance when registering with the HCPC. Discuss and confirm this with your line manager or recruitment team. A trade union may be able to help and advise you.
We recommend familiarising yourself with the HCPC before applying for a job in the UK.
Allied Health Professional bodies
The Department of Health and Social Care (HCPC) is states all registered healthcare professionals working in the UK must be registered with a professional regulatory body. Registered allied health professional (AHP) titles are legally protected. You cannot describe yourself as an AHP in the UK unless you are registered with the HCPC. This is to protect the public. Find out more about healthcare regulations.
Read more about The Allied Health Professions Strategy for England: AHPs Deliver.
- Art therapists
British Association of Art Therapists - Dietitians
British Dietetic Association - Drama therapists
British Association of Drama Therapists - Music therapists
British Association of Music Therapy - Occupational therapists
Royal College of Occupational Therapists - Orthoptists
British and Irish Orthoptic Society - Osteopaths
General Osteopathic Council - Paramedics
College of Paramedics - Physiotherapists
Chartered Society of Physiotherapists - Podiatrists
Royal College of Podiatry - Prosthetists and orthotists
British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists - Radiographers
Society of Radiographers - Speech and language therapists
Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists