A major focus for the Department is the provision of support services to the health and community services system within the Province.  Service delivery is provided through provincial and regional boards and agencies.

Boards

Since 1994, the delivery of institutional and community health services has been provided under 13 regional governance structures and one provincial board for cancer care, the Newfoundland Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation.  Previously there were 39 separate boards.  There are now six Regional Institutional Boards, four Regional Health and Community Services Boards, two Regional Integrated Boards and one regional Nursing Home Board in St. John's.  On April 1, 1998, the mandate of the Health and Community Services Boards and Integrated Health Boards was broadened.  The programs and services under these boards now include:  Health Promotion, Disease Prevention, Child Welfare and Community Corrections, Family and Rehabilitative Services, Addictions, Mental Health, and Continuing Care.  The six Institutional Boards provide hospital services and long term residential accommodation to persons 65 years and older and persons suffering from chronic debilitating diseases.

Agencies

There are also a number of agencies accountable to the Department.  These include the Memorial University of Newfoundland Medical School and the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information (NLCHI).

Departmental staff have a wide variety of professional expertise and provide support and leadership for boards and agencies in their governance and delivery of institutional and community-based services.  Staff work with boards to provide consultation, standard setting, policy direction, resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation.  Support also includes assistance to improve operational efficiencies in health facilities, monitoring trends and future directions in the health and community services system, coordinating provincial initiatives in environmental management and major building systems, and programming for new or redeveloped health and community services facilities.  The construction and/or major redevelopment of facilities is done in liaison with the Department of Works, Services and Transportation.