In July 1968, the Minister of Health, Kenneth Robinson, published a green paper, Administrative structure of the medical and related services in England and Wales.

It triggered years of debate about the relationship between the NHS, local authorities, and health and social care.

He retained the idea that the number and areas of the proposed new health authorities should match those of the proposed new local authorities, but added regional health councils which could undertake those activities for which the local area boards were too small.

[3] Following the election of the Conservative government of 1970, the new Secretary of State, Keith Joseph, amended Crossman’s 1970 proposals.

Joint consultative committees were established to advise AHAs and local authorities on the performance of their duties under the Act.

The impetus for the establishment of a Health Ombudsman arose from growing dissatisfaction with the quality of service in the NHS through the 1960s.

The Government announced in 1972 that it intended to establish a Health Service Ombudsman and that this was to be at the apex of the NHS complaints system.

The Labour party returned to power in 1974 and implemented the planned reorganization of the health service.

Both DHAs and RHAs were abolished altogether in 1996 and replaced by eight regional offices of the NHS Executive as a result of the Health Authorities Act 1995.