About Us

NHS Lewisham is the new public name for Lewisham Primary Care Trust in its role as local leader of the NHS.   Our vision is to provide the best possible health and wellbeing for people in Lewisham.

Community Health Services are now part of Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust and you can find out all about them here.

NHS Lewisham does not provide health services directly.  We are responsible for commissioning (buying) the best possible health services from a range of local health providers including hospitals, community health services, GPs, Practice Nurses and other practice staff, Pharmacists, Dentists, Opticians and other specialist health providers.

Commissioning in the NHS involves planning, funding and monitoring health improvements and the health services that people will need. We are also responsible for assessing local health needs, reducing health inequalities and improving the health of residents. 

As local leaders of the NHS, we have to make sure that health services are available to meet the health needs of over 265,000 Lewisham residents. Our work is informed by our vision and values which help us to create a local NHS that helps people to stay healthy, receive appropriate treatment and care, and brings a focus on well being and prevention.

We aim to provide the best possible health and wellbeing for people in Lewisham, reduce inequalities, ensure the delivery of quality healthcare services and improve the health of local people. We work with a wide range of partners to deliver this vision. 

Over the next five years we plan to:

• Reduce health inequalities
• Improve life expectancy
• Improve children and young people's health
• Improve mental health
• Reduce premature mortality for all circulatory disease
• Reduce premature mortality for all cancers
• Reduce teenage conceptions
• Reduce delayed transfers of care
• Improve quality of care for people with long term conditions
• Improve end of life care

More information on our plans is available in the 2009-2013 Commissioning Strategy Plan which sets out how we will, over the next five years, deliver health improvements and achieve our vision of the best possible health and well-being for people in Lewisham.

Patient Safety

NHS Lewisham supports a culture of openness, honesty and transparency, this includes apologising and explaining what has happened if things go wrong.

In 2005, the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) issued a Safer Practice Notice advising the NHS to develop a local Being Open policy and to raise awareness of this policy with all healthcare staff.

The guidance has now been revised in response to changes in the healthcare environment and in order to strengthen Being Open throughout the NHS.

The Being Open framework is available at www.nrls.npsa.nhs.uk/beingopen

Our key objectives for 2009/10 are:

• To improve health and reduce health inequalities
• To be efficient and effective in the management of our resources by investing in care that delivers the best outcomes for our population whilst living within our means
• To significantly improve the provision, quality and choice of primary care ensuring that the services provided are equitable, accessible. based on evidence and are person centred
• To work with partners in the NHS, local government, charities and voluntary organisations and social enterprises to commission the services local people need
• To engage with patients, residents, staff and partners to improve their health and in shaping healthcare for the future in Lewisham

Advice about local health services:

For advice about local health services or if you have a query or wish to make a complaint about our directly managed services, you can contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on freephone 0800 587 7027. 

If you wish to make a formal complaint, you can telephone the complaints line on 020 7206 3225 or write to the Complaints Department, NHS Lewisham, Cantilever House, Eltham Road, London SE12 8RN. If you wish to make a formal complaint about a Community Health Service please click here to see details on how to do it.

This website provides a range of information about NHS Lewisham.  We welcome your comments and views - please help us by completing the feedback form.