NHS East Midlands was formally established on 1 July 2006, replacing the former Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic Health Authority and Trent Strategic Health Authority.
We are ultimately responsible to the Secretary of State for Health.
We are the guardians of the NHS, holding to account local commissioners. Our role is to relay and explain national policy, set direction and support and develop all NHS Trust bodies (Primary Care Trusts and NHS Trusts providing acute, mental health and ambulance services).
We ensure that local health systems operate effectively and efficiently for our population of 4.3 million people. This includes making certain that national standards and priorities are met so that the population of the East Midlands is cared for in high quality, safe environments and services are continuously improved and developed. An absolute priority for us is improving health and reducing inequalities.
The East Midlands has nine Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). They are the leaders of the local health communities and are responsible for commissioning health and healthcare services for their local population. These organisations hold their community’s share of the regional NHS budget of £6 billion. They serve a range of rural, inner city and urban populations.
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.
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.
How we fit into the NHS structure
NHS East Midlands is one of ten Strategic Health Authorities 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
