NHS community services play a vital role in health care both for adults and children. Many of these services can be accessed directly without needing to attend your GP practice. NHS community services have been split into adult (over 18) services, and children and young people (under 18) services. They include self-referral and general information for district nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, health visiting, speech and language therapy, school nursing, sexual health and the wheelchair service.