The Find and choose services section is a comprehensive directory of NHS services in England and supports the public in locating, comparing and ultimately choosing local services. This section is popular with users, accounting for around a quarter of all site traffic.
The directories cover everything from GPs, dentists, care services or gyms, providing information and contact details about each service provider. All you have to do is select the type of service you are looking for and enter a postcode, location or organisation name. There are around 50 national directories but we will continue to add new ones.
Type of directories
1. NHS services
We offer NHS Choices profiles to NHS and Independent Sector health organisations in England, providing a platform to display, edit and upload their own content, including images and videos. This also offers an opportunity to display specialist services and promote them to local communities and potential patients from further afield.
The profile management system is intuitive and easy to use and allows organisations to edit and upload content to their pages in real time. Should you have any questions regarding NHS Choices profiles or how to edit information on them, please visit the NHS Choices for health professionals section or email our helpdesk at thechoicesteam@nhschoices.nhs.uk.
2. Non-NHS support services
Non-NHS support services are provided by organisations with national support group or member listings. Examples of directories on NHS Choices include the hospice directory provided by Help the Hospices, The Stroke Association regional support directory and Macmillan Cancer Support information. We also work with professional associations such as the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy and The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, displaying their professional listings.
Through working with charities and professional groups, NHS Choices is continually developing new directories for local services and support, including condition-specific directories.
If you have a national dataset that you would like to develop within our Find and choose services directories, please register your interest though the NHS Choices helpdesk by contacting thechoicesteam@nhschoices.nhs.uk.
Final decision on suitability of data lies with the NHS Choices Data Workstream.
Most of our directories are available for syndication. For more information please see our web services information.
The Data team continues to work with the Department of Health and NHS organisations to expand our directories, ensuring it meets the needs for a local approach to offering users a comprehensive support service listing.
