ABSTRACT
The Department of Health is responsible at a national level for the National Health Service (NHS) and also for setting the policy and legislative framework for the personal social services and other health issues. Hospital doctors retain a significant amount of influence in determining the direction in which services develop, but managers have moved from the position of being administrators to take on a more active role in the running of the NHS. Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) are the intermediate tier between the Department of Health on the one hand and District Health Authorities and Family Health Services Authorities on the other. District Health Authorities (DHAs) are the bodies responsible for purchasing hospital and community health services for their residents. Community Health Councils (CHCs) are statutory bodies established by Regional Health Authorities to represent the public's interest in the local provision of health services and to be the channel for consumer concerns.
