Understanding NHS Trust Types

NHS trusts in England vary in size, degree of specialisation and the severity of illnesses that they care for. Some trusts have emergency departments and offer acute care, while others focus on longer-stay rehabilitation, mental health or community-based follow-up care. Some provide a broad range of services, whereas others are specialised in a single clinical area. These factors determine the quantity and range of medicines a trust uses, so understanding the type of trust provides useful context when analysing medicines usage in secondary care. Here, we explain what types of trusts exist in more detail and how they can be identified.