Health Services Act 1980

1 Power to make changes in the local administration of the health service in England and Wales

(1) For the purposes of the administration of the health service in England and Wales after the passing of this Act—

(a) regions in England need not consist wholly of areas having Area Health Authorities or Area Health Authorities (Teaching); and

(b) Wales need not consist wholly of areas having such authorities,

and the Secretary of State may, by order under section 8(1) of the [1977 c. 49.] National Health Service Act 1977 (in this Act referred to as " the Act of 1977 "), establish authorities for districts in English regions or in Wales in accordance with that section and may, by order under subsection (2) of that section, vary a district whether or not the variation entails the determination of a new or the abolition of an existing district.

(2) The power to determine districts under that section may be exercised so that a district corresponds with an existing area and the power under that section to establish authorities for districts may be exercised by constituting the existing authority for an area the authority for a district (and re-naming it accordingly) without otherwise affecting its corporate status.

(3) The authority for a district shall, according as is provided in the order establishing the authority, be called either—

(a) a District Health Authority, or

(b) a District Health Authority (Teaching), or

(c) by a special name indicating its connection with the district or any place in the district, with or without the word " Teaching ".

(4) The authority for a district may have, or cease to have, the word " Teaching " incorporated in its name in the same circumstances as, under section 9 of the Act of 1977, the authority for an area may have, or cease to have, the word " Teaching " incorporated in its name and that section shall apply in relation to the authority for a district as it applies in relation to the authority for an area.

(5) In this Act and the Act of 1977, except where the context requires otherwise, " District Health Authority" and " Area Health Authority " mean respectively the authority for a district and the authority for an area whether or not the name of the authority incorporates the word "Teaching" or, in the case of the authority for a district, the word "District".

(6) Subject to section 2 below, a District Health Authority shall have in relation to its district the same functions as an Area Health Authority has in relation to its area and may perform functions outside its district on behalf of the Secretary of State to the same extent as an Area Health Authority can do so.

(7) In consequence of the foregoing provisions of this section the enactments specified in Part I of Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments provided for in that Part of that Schedule (which also includes certain minor corrections of the Act of 1977).

(8) The Secretary of State may by order under this subsection make such repeals in or other modifications of the Act of 1977, this Act or any other enactment or instrument referring to Area Health Authorities as appear to him to be necessary having regard to the replacement of Area Health Authorities by District Health Authorities by virtue of this section.

(9) The power to make an order under subsection (8) above shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(10) Expressions used in this section and the Act of 1977 have the same meaning in this section as they have in that Act.