The Department of Health (DoH) has a statutory responsibility to promote an integrated system of health and social care (HSC) designed to secure improvement in:
- the physical and mental health of people in Northern Ireland
- the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness
- the social wellbeing of the people in Northern Ireland
The Department’s statutory responsibilities under the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 are to:
- develop policies
- determine priorities
- secure and allocate resources
- set standards and guidelines
- secure the commissioning of relevant programmes and initiatives
- monitor and hold to account its ALBs
- promote a whole system approach.
Department of Health – Departmental Strategic Business Plan 2023-24