The Department of Health (DH) aims to improve people’s health and wellbeing through its strategic responsibility and accountability for the health and social care system in England.
The DH does not directly run the National Health Service, manage individual hospitals or directly employ doctors, nurses or dentists. Rather it sets the national standards for patient care and regulates health provision.
The Healthcare Commission inspects health services. When problems occur, the Department intervenes to put things right.
The DH also sets priorities and targets, including those for improving cancer and heart disease treatment and reducing hospital appointment waiting times. It works to improve public health, for example by reducing smoking, and stopping alcohol and drug abuse.
It also seeks to improve mental health and the care of those with mental illness.
Social services are the responsibility of individual local authorities, which also employ social workers. But the Department sets the strategic direction for children’s care services, such as adoption and fostering, and services for elderly people, including old people’s homes.
The Commission for Social Care Inspection is the single, independent inspectorate for all social care services in England.
The Department also provides specialist guidance to health practitioners and social workers, and supports research to improve the quality of health and social services.
Here is a list of ministers who work for the Department.
Secretary of State for Health
Responsibilities:
- NHS and social care delivery and system reforms
- Finance and resources
- Strategic communications
Minister of State for Public Health
The Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP
Responsibilities:
- Public health including Regional Public Health Groups (RPHGs), WHO and Children’s public health
- Health improvement national programmes including: tobacco & smoking, alcohol, diet & nutrition, physical activity, drugs & drug treatment, obesity, sexual health, accident prevention, abortion, rural health, and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).
- Health Inequalities
- Fertility, including IVF, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and draft Bill, Regulatory Authority for Tissue and Embryos (RATE)
- Food Standards Agency
- Health protection including: Emergency preparedness; Scientific development; Pandemic flu; Immunisation; International health
- International & EU business
- Research and Development (R&D): National programme, R&D workforce, systems, Infrastructure, Innovation & Industry relations
- Medicines & Pharmaceuticals industry including Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
- National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
- Departmental Management
- West Midlands SHA
- South East Coast SHA
Minister of State for Health Services and Minister for the South West
Ben Bradshaw MP
Responsibilities:
- Finance including: Spending Review; Resource allocation and Financial policy; NHS Financial management; NHS Estates, Capital, Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) & Local Improvement Finance Trusts (LIFT); NHS Performance management; NHS efficiency
- Policy & Strategy including provider policy, demand side reform, Payment By Results (PbR) policy & system architecture regulation
- 18 week patient pathway
- System management & regulation and Professional regulation including the 3rd session Bill
- Workforce Capacity
- Commissioning capabilities & programmes
- Commercial policy, solutions and procurement
- Connecting for Health / NHS IT
- Urgent Care & emergency care
- Primary care
- South West Strategic Health Authority (SHA)
- London SHA
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Professor Sir Ara Darzi
Responsibilities:
- NHS Next Stage Review - Terms of Reference as announced
- Lords business is being covered by a Lords Whip
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health Services
Ann Keen MP
Responsibilities:
- Healthcare quality
- Patient Safety including Cleaner Hospitals / Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI)
- National clinical directors and programmes including: Cancer services; Cardiac services; Stroke services; Diabetes; Renal services
- Dentistry and fluoridation
- Partnership, experience & involvement
- Optical
- Chronic Diseases and long term conditions (including neurological)
- Workforce including: Employment models and contracts; Education & careers; Pay; Nursing policy / Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) people strategy
- Reconfigurations
- Children’s health services and maternity
- Yorkshire & the Humber SHA
- North East SHA
- North West SHA
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for care services
Ivan Lewis MP
Responsibilities:
- Social care, local government & care partnerships, including: policy & innovation; finance; strategy; workforce; inspection; Partnering & alliances; Regional presence; Older people; Learning / physical disabilities; Disabled children
- DH’s relationship with local government
- Mental health including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Prison/offender health
- Allied health professionals
- Third sector including section 64 and social enterprise
- Carers
- Dignity & respect
- Sustainable development
- Equality & Human Rights
- End of life care
- Audiology
- East of England SHA
- South Central SHA
- East Midlands SHA
Contact department
If you have any comments or enquiries about the Department please contact the Public Enquiry Office.
- Tel: 0207 210 4850 (line open from 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday).
- Minicom: 0207 210 5025.
- Email at dhmail@doh.gsi.gov.uk
Write to the DH, or one of their Ministers, at the address below.
The Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS
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