Until 9 May 2016, the department was previously called the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Irish: An Roinn Sláinte, Seirbhísí Sóisialta agus Sábháilteachta Poiblí).
Aim
DoH's overall aim and mission is to "improve the health and social well-being of the people of Northern Ireland."[4]
The department launched a new digital strategy in August 2022. It includes the Encompass programme which will create a unified health and care record for the province.[5]
Responsibilities
The Minister, assisted by the department, makes policy and legislation in three broad areas:
health and social care – hospitals, family practitioner services and community health and personal social services;
public health – promoting and protecting the health and well-being of the population; and
Health policy in Northern Ireland was originally a responsibility of local government and the Ministry of Home Affairs, which (similarly to the Home Office) retained responsibility for policy areas not delegated to other ministries.
The latter ministry was renamed as the Department of Health and Social Services under direct rule, introduced in March 1972. A health and social services ministry was also included in the Northern Ireland Executive briefly established in 1974. The department was responsible for social security policy and its initials DHSS are still used locally to describe benefits and benefit claimants.
A devolved minister took office on 2 December 1999. Devolution was suspended for four periods, during which the department came under the responsibility of direct rule ministers from the Northern Ireland Office:
^Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Commencement) Order 2000
^Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2000
^Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) Order 2001
^Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2001
^Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) (No.2) Order 2001
^Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) (No.2) Order 2001
^Article 1, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Suspension of Devolved Government) Order 2002
^Article 2, Northern Ireland Act 2000 (Restoration of Devolved Government) Order 2007
^Office suspended for 24 hours on 11 August 2001 and 22 September 2001
^Resigned on 10 September 2015, re-entered office on 16 Sept. till 17 Sept., then on the 23 Sept.-24 Sept, then 28 Sept.-29 Sept., then 30 Sept.-1 Oct. 2015. Following the 20 October he permanently occupies the office