Website of the Department of Health
Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.
You are here:
What are arm's length bodies?
-
Last modified date:29 April 2008
The Department of Health works with three kinds of arm’s length bodies (ALBs):
- Executive agencies have responsibility for particular business areas - the agencies are still part of, and accountable to, the Department
- Special health authorities are independent bodies, but can be subject to ministerial direction like other NHS bodies
- Non-departmental public bodies have a role in the process of national government, but are not part of government departments.
Select a section
Executive agencies
Special health authorities
- Information Centre for health and social care (opens new window)
- Mental Health Act Commission (opens new window)
- National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (opens new window)
- National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) (opens new window)
- National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) (opens new window)
- NHS Appointments Commission (opens new window)
- NHS Blood and Transplant (opens new window)
- NHS Business Services Authority (opens new window)
- NHS Direct (opens new window)
- NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (opens new window)
- NHS Professionals (opens new window)
- NHS Litigation Authority (opens new window)
- Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) (opens new window)
Non-departmental public bodies
- Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) (opens new window)
- Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) (opens new window)
- Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) until 2008 (opens new window)
- General Social Care Council (opens new window)
- Healthcare Commission (until 2008) (opens new window)
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (until April 2008) (opens new window)
- Monitor - Independent Regulator of Foundation Trusts (opens new window)
- Human Tissue Authority (HTA) (opens new window)
- Health Protection Agency (opens new window)
Additional links
Care Quality Commission
In April 2009 the Care Quality Commission will bring together the work of: Commission for Social Care Inspection; Healthcare Commission; and Mental Health Act Commission. The three commissions will continue to operate fully until April 2009. Please continue to contact them for services, information and advice until the Care Quality Commission takes over in 2009
Reconfiguring the Department of Health's Arm's Length Bodies
The report sets out the first steps in reducing the number of bodies from 38 to 20
Redistributing resources to the NHS frontline
The ALB review's implementation framework sets out the final plans and timetable for change.
Access keys
