Urgent help

Secondary (hospital) care

Secondary care is the specialist treatment you receive after being referred by a GP, NHS 111, or another health professional. It usually takes place in a hospital or clinic and involves experts such as consultants, surgeons, specialist nurses, or therapists who provide tests, scans, operations, or ongoing treatment for specific conditions.

There are six NHS foundation trusts operating within Norfolk and Suffolk. Between them, they offer a range of inpatient and outpatient health and care services.

If you require care from a hospital trust, the NHS Constitution gives most people living in England the right to choose where to receive treatment.

NHS Foundation Trusts based in Norfolk and Suffolk

ESNEFT runs Ipswich Hospital in Suffolk and Colchester Hospital in Essex, providing emergency care, maternity services, surgery, diagnostics, cancer care and a wide range of inpatient and outpatient specialties. It serves communities across east Suffolk and north east Essex.

Visit the ESNEFT website

Based in Gorleston‑on‑Sea, the trust provides emergency care, maternity services, surgery, diagnostics and specialist inpatient and outpatient care for people in Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Waveney and surrounding coastal areas.

Visit the James Paget University Hospitals website

Located in Norwich, this large teaching trust offers emergency care, specialist surgery, maternity, cancer services, diagnostics and a full range of acute hospital services for people across Norfolk and north Suffolk.

Visit the NNUH website

Headquartered in Norwich, NSFT provides mental health, learning disability and autism services for children, young people, adults and older adults across both counties through inpatient units, community teams and crisis services.

Visit the NSFT website

Based in King’s Lynn, the trust delivers emergency care, maternity services, surgery, diagnostics and a wide range of inpatient and outpatient specialties for communities in west Norfolk, south Lincolnshire and parts of Cambridgeshire.

Visit the The Queen Elizabeth Hospital website

Located in Bury St Edmunds, the trust runs West Suffolk Hospital and provides emergency care, maternity services, surgery, diagnostics, community services and a broad range of medical specialties for people in west Suffolk and surrounding rural areas.

Visit the WSFT website

Urgent and Emergency care services

Learn when to use NHS 111, when to call 999, and what to do if you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis.

Urgent and emergency care

Waiting for treatment or surgery?

My Planned Care is the NHS website that helps patients in England who are waiting for a hospital consultation, treatment, or surgery by giving them up‑to‑date waiting‑time information, practical preparation advice, and links to wellbeing and support services.

Explore My Planned Care