About the NHS - NHS
{"@context": "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/http://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalWebPage", "about": {"@type": "WebPage", "alternateName": "", "name": "About the NHS"}, "author": {"@type": "Organization", "email": "nhswebsite.servicedesk@nhs.net", "logo": "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://digital.nhs.uk/binaries/content/gallery/website/developer/api-catalogue/nhs-website-content/nhs-attribution.png", "name": "NHS website", "url": "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://www.nhs.uk"}, "breadcrumb": {"@context": "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/http://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [{"@type": "ListItem", "item": {"@id": "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/", "genre": [], "name": "Services"}, "position": 0}, {"@type": "ListItem", "item": {"@id": "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/", "genre": [], "name": "About the NHS"}, "position": 1}]}, "copyrightHolder": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Crown Copyright"}, "dateModified": "2022-05-30T08:36:28+00:00", "description": "", "genre": [], "hasPart": [{"@type": "ItemPage", "dateModified": "2024-07-02T08:51:33+00:00", "description": "Find out what an NHS number is and what it's used for.", "genre": ["Advice or information"], "keywords": "", "lastReviewed": ["2023-05-16T13:51:00+00:00", "2026-05-16T13:51:00+00:00"], "name": "What is an NHS number?", "text": "Find out what an NHS Number is and what they're used for", "url": "/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/what-is-an-nhs-number/"}, {"@type": "ItemPage", "dateModified": "2024-07-02T08:55:31+00:00", "description": "Find out about the Friends and Family Test (FFT), which asks patients to rate their experience of NHS services and leave comments. This feedback helps service providers make improvements.", "genre": ["Advice or information"], "keywords": "", "lastReviewed": ["2023-07-04T13:51:00+00:00", "2026-07-04T13:51:00+00:00"], "name": "Friends and Family Test (FFT)", "text": "Find out about the Friends and Family Test, a simple way to provide feedback on NHS services", "url": "/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/friends-and-family-test-fft/"}, {"@type": "ItemPage", "dateModified": "2024-07-02T09:04:25+00:00", "description": "Find out about your right to choose where you have your NHS treatment.", "genre": ["Advice or information"], "keywords": "", "lastReviewed": ["2023-05-10T17:00:00+00:00", "2026-05-10T17:00:00+00:00"], "name": "Your choices in the NHS", "text": "Learn more about the choices you have with your NHS care", "url": "/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/your-choices-in-the-nhs/"}, {"@type": "ItemPage", "dateModified": "2022-07-14T17:02:48+00:00", "description": "A Quality Account is a published report about the quality of services and improvements offered by an NHS healthcare provider.", "genre": ["Advice or information"], "keywords": "", "lastReviewed": ["2022-07-06T16:38:00+00:00", "2025-07-06T16:38:00+00:00"], "name": "Quality Accounts", "text": "Reports about the quality of services offered by NHS healthcare providers", "url": "/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/quality-accounts/"}, {"@type": "ItemPage", "dateModified": "2024-06-10T14:49:58+00:00", "description": "Find out how to opt out of sharing your health records for research and planning.", "genre": ["Advice or information"], "keywords": "", "lastReviewed": ["2024-06-06T15:48:00+00:00", "2027-06-06T15:48:00+00:00"], "name": "Opt out of sharing your health records", "text": "Find out how to opt out of sharing your health records", "url": "/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/opt-out-of-sharing-your-health-records/"}], "headline": "About the NHS", "keywords": "", "license": "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://developer.api.nhs.uk/terms", "name": "About the NHS", "significantLink": [], "url": "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/"}
function setUpTarget() {
// Enable Target tracking
window.targetPageParams = () => ({
"at_property": "b477157d-6850-20b1-d82a-5da5c184f634"
});
window.targetGlobalSettings = {
cookieDomain: window.location.hostname
};
// Obscure page while target does its magic if this visit is part of an A/B test
(function(win, doc) {
var STYLE_ID = 'at-body-style';
function getParent() {
return doc.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];
}
function addStyle(parent, id, def) {
if (!parent) {
return;
}
var style = doc.createElement('style');
style.id = id;
style.innerHTML = def;
parent.appendChild(style);
}
function removeStyle(parent, id) {
if (!parent) {
return;
}
var style = doc.getElementById(id);
if (!style) {
return;
}
parent.removeChild(style);
}
var style = 'body {opacity: 0 !important}';
var timeout = 3000;
addStyle(getParent(), STYLE_ID, style);
setTimeout(function() {
removeStyle(getParent(), STYLE_ID);
}, timeout);
}(window, document));
}
// Enable Adobe target only if there is statistics consent cookie
if(NHSCookieConsent.getStatistics()) {
setUpTarget();
}
window.digitalData=
{"page": {
"pageInfo": {
"pageName": "nhs:web:using-the-nhs:about-the-nhs"
},
"category":
{
"primaryCategory": "using-the-nhs",
"subCategory1":"about-the-nhs",
"subCategory2":"",
"subCategory3":""
}
},
};
window.NHSUK_SETTINGS = {};
window.NHSUK_SETTINGS.BANNER_API_URL = "//web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://www.nhs.uk/externalservices/surveyfeedapi/api/bannerfeed";
window.NHSUK_SETTINGS.BANNER_TEST_API_URL = "//web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://www.nhs.uk/externalservices/surveyfeedapi/api/testfeed";
window.NHSUK_SETTINGS.SUGGESTIONS_TEST_HOST = "//web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://api.nhs.uk/site-search/autocomplete";
window.NHSUK_SETTINGS.SEARCH_TEST_HOST = "//web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://nhs.uk/search/results";
window.NHSUK_SETTINGS.USER_FEEDBACK_STORE_ENDPOINT = "https://web.archive.org./web/20240805055302/https://nhsuk-user-feedback-func-prod-uks.azurewebsites.net/";
document.body.className = ((document.body.className) ? document.body.className + ' js-enabled' : 'js-enabled');
Skip to main content
Search the NHS website
Search
Health A-Z
NHS services
Live Well
Mental health
Care and support
Pregnancy
Home
NHS services
Browse
More
Home
Services
Back to
Services
About the NHS
What is an NHS number?
Find out what an NHS Number is and what they're used for
Friends and Family Test (FFT)
Find out about the Friends and Family Test, a simple way to provide feedback on NHS services
Your choices in the NHS
Learn more about the choices you have with your NHS care
Quality Accounts
Reports about the quality of services offered by NHS healthcare providers
Opt out of sharing your health records
Find out how to opt out of sharing your health records
Support links
Home
Health A to Z
Live Well
Mental health
Care and support
Pregnancy
NHS services
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
NHS App
Find my NHS number
View your GP health record
View your test results
About the NHS
Healthcare abroad
Other NHS websites
Profile editor login
About us
Give us feedback
Accessibility statement
Our policies
Cookies
© Crown copyright