• Advice and
  benefits
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  and living
• Council and
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• Education
  and learning
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• Health and
  social care
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• Transport
  and streets

• Health and Social Care Providers
• Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
• Health and Social Care Board
• Patient and Client Council

Health and Social Care Providers

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland (DHSSPSNI) is responsible for all aspects of the health service. DHSSPSNI makes sure that there are doctors, nurses and other medical experts in surgeries, hospitals and clinics to treat and care for patients. They do this by managing budgets, devising health policies and delegating day to day healthcare provision to public organisations.

On 1 April 2009, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPSNI) reformed health and social care provision. This created an integrated, uniform health and social care system.

Four separate health boards were amalgamated to form the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB). The Public Health Agency (PHA) replaced the Health Promotions Agency. A single Patient and Client Council replaced four separate health councils. The Business Services Organisation (BSO) replaced the Central Services Agency.

While patients need to get used to new names for organisations, there is no change in organisational responsibility or service provision.

The health and social care trusts remain the suppliers of health services in hospitals and clinics. The Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) plans health care for everyone in Northern Ireland and buys health services from the trusts.