The Department of Health and Social Care

At the time of a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Theresa May, the government changed the name of the Department of Health to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The change was 'intended to elevate the government's priority issue, integrating health and social care'.

There was no substantive change in responsibilities, but DHSC became solely responsible for the government’s long-awaited green paper on options for reforming adult social care (first announced in the 2017 Spring Budget). Previously, the work was being carried out in the Cabinet Office.