NHS East Midlands is a public body and part of the National Health Service. It is a statutory body governed by Acts of Parliament and came into existence on 1st July 2006 under Statutory Instrument 2006 No 1408. As a statutory body, the Strategic Health Authority has specific powers to act as regulator, to contract in its own name, act as a corporate trustee, to fund projects jointly planned with and to make payment and grants to local authorities, voluntary organisations and other bodies.
NHS East Midlands is one of ten Strategic Health Authorites that form the intermediate tier of the NHS between the Department of Health and the NHS commissioning and provider trusts in the region. For more details of how NHS East Midlands fits into the overall NHS structure visit www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/thenhs/about/pages/overview.aspx
NHS East Midlands has four main roles: strategic leadership, development, co-ordination and performance assurance. It also ensures that local health systems operate efficiently and effectively and that national policy, standards and priorities are met in order to continually improve services for patients and the local communities we serve.
Health services are commissioned by nine Primary Care Trusts. These organisations have a total NHS budget of £5.8 billion. They also support general practice, dental surgeries, pharmacies and opticians and provide community based services such as health visiting and community hospitals.
There are 14 NHS Trusts providing healthcare for the people of East Midlands, eight providing acute care, five providing care for people with mental health and learning disabilities and one ambulance trust.
