Annex A > Chapter 5 - Regional, District and Trust Management > Statutory framework > The regional health authority

The regional health authority

11 The region was established in 1973. [9] `Regional Authority as respects its region ... shall exercise on behalf of the Secretary of State his functions relating to the health service under the enactments ... [set out in Schedule 1 of these regulations]'. [10] The relevant duties delegated to the RHA included those under Section 3(1) (a)-(f) of the 1977 Act.

12 The 1977 Act provided that the Secretary of State may direct an RHA to `... exercise on his behalf such of his functions relating to the health service as are specified in the directions'. [11] The RHA could in turn direct DHAs within its region to exercise those functions. [12]

13 Statutory Instrument (SI) No 1989/51 delegated functions to the RHAs (including all of those under Section 3 of the 1977 Act) and obliged the RHA in turn to delegate certain matters to its DHAs.

14 The DHA had to act in accordance with limitations or directions set by the Secretary of State or the RHA (provided that these latter directions, from the RHA, were not in conflict with those from the Secretary of State). [13]

15 The sequence of maps below show the extent of the RHA from 1981-1996 and the boundaries of the Avon Health Authority created in 1996

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Footnotes

[9] NHS (Determination of Regions) Order 1973

[10] Regulations consolidating the NHS Functions (Directions to Authorities and Administration Arrangements) Regulations 1982, SI 1989/51 regulation 3

[11] Section 13(1), 1977 Act

[12] Section 14(1), 1977 Act

[13] Regulation 6