ABSTRACT
The National Health Service (NHS) is one of the largest organisations in the world and operates to common principles and nationwide pay scales. It is accountable via the Department of Health to central government and operates via annual funding from parliament. The NHS structures are different in each UK country (see the introductory part of this book), so health policy varies slightly from country to country. Public health practitioners may be employed in any NHS organisation, although in practice are most likely to be found in dedicated public health bodies, in commissioning agencies and in provider hospitals or other institutional and community-based providers of healthcare. Note that broadly similar roles may have quite different job titles.
