Primary care services are the ‘front door’ of the NHS and the main way that people access NHS services. There are four main services: general practices, dental practices, optometrists (eye care) and community pharmacies. Primary care services account for a large proportion of NHS service providers – for example, there are more than 11,000 pharmacies across England, compared with fewer than 200 accident and emergency departments. Many of these primary care providers act as independent businesses, in contrast to secondary care providers (such as acute hospital trusts) that are run directly by the NHS.
