rds of governors. Improved management within the NHS was pursued by the Conservative government of the day through initiatives providing for team working and consensus management (Ham, 1985, p. 28).
In the reorganized NHS, regional health authorities (RHAs), whose membership were appointed by the Secretary of State for Social Services, assumed the responsibilities of the disbanded regional hospital boards (Ham, 1985, p. 29). Area health authorities (AHAs) were formed with health regions and reported to RHAs. Accompanying each AHA was a family practitioner committee (FPC) that administered the contracts of general medical practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, and opticians. Below the AHA level, both district management teams (DMTs) and community health councils (CHCs) were formed. Health authorities, FPCs, DMTs, and CHCs were funded by the Department of Health and Social Security.
Prior to the reorganization of the NHS in 1974 the structure for the delivery of health care services was uniform througho
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