In England, the Health and Social Care Act 2012 has established health and wellbeing boards, providing a forum for key leaders from the health and care systems to work together to improve the health and wellbeing of their local populations and to reduce health inequalities. The Act transfers responsibilities for public health to local authorities. In order for this to happen, 152 health and wellbeing boards are being established at a fast pace. Since April 2012, these boards have been operating in shadow form; they will take on their statutory functions from April 2013. Top tier and unitary authorities in every part of England have their own boards and the idea is that they will function as the primary multi-organisational governance arrangement to implement delivery, facilitate public reporting and assure the continuing public accountability of public health services in the future (Department of Health (DH), 2012).
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