Department of Health

The Department of Health is a principal government department. Its purpose is to improve England’s health and well-being; to achieve better health, better care, and better value for all.

The Department has responsibility for standards of health care, including the NHS. It:

• sets the strategic framework for adult social care and influences local authority spend on social care
• sets the direction on promoting and protecting the public’s health, taking the lead on issues such as environmental hazards to health, infectious diseases, health promotion and education, the safety of medicines, and ethical issues.
• leads the integration of health and well-being into wider Government policy, working with other sectors and systems, as well as integrating wider public policy into health and care services.
• takes the lead internationally on some health issues for the UK.

Prospect also represents specialist staff  in the Medicines Health and Regulatory Agency.