Area health authorities were 90 bodies responsible for administering the
National Health Service
The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
, established in England by the
National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973
The National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The purpose of the Act was to reorganise the National Health Service. This was the first time the service had been reorganised since it was e ...
in 1974. Each covered a geographical population which matched a Local Government territory. They co-ordinated
primary care
Primary care is the day-to-day healthcare given by a health care provider. Typically this provider acts as the first contact and principal point of continuing care for patients within a healthcare system, and coordinates other specialist care ...
services and services requiring collaboration with local government. They were abolished in 1982 and their responsibilities transferred to the smaller
district health authorities.
Membership of area health authorities:
*Chairman - appointed by the Secretary of State
*Fifteen members; sixteen in teaching areas.
*Four members representative of local authorities
*Others appointed by the
regional health authority after consultation with universities associated with the region, bodies representative of the professions and any federation of workers' organisations.
See also
*
UK enterprise law
*
Health regions of Canada
Health regions, also called health authorities, are a governance model used by Canada's provincial and territorial governments to administer and deliver public health care to all Canadian residents.
Health care is designated a provincial responsi ...
, which were generally established during the same era
References
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Defunct National Health Service organisations