The Department’s role is to help improve the health and well-being of the population of England. The Department provides strategic leadership to the NHS and social care organisations in England. It has overall responsibility for:
- setting the direction of health and social care services in England
- setting and monitoring standards for health and social care services
- ensuring NHS and social care organisations have the resources they need
- ensuring patients and the public can make choices about the health and social care services they use.
The Department does not run the NHS or social services. It works with health and social care organisations, arm’s length bodies and other public and private sector organisations to deliver health and social care.