In England and Wales, locally based health authorities are responsible for assessing the health needs of local people and making arrangements for services to be provided by NHS Trusts and other agencies. In Scotland this role is carried out by health boards and in Northern Ireland health and social services boards plan and commission both health and social services. In other parts of the UK, social services are the responsibility of local government.

Health authorities/boards are made up of a mixture including health professionals and local people.