1968 - Ministry of Health merged with the Ministry of Social Security to form the Department of Health and Social Security.; 1974 - The Department underwent further restructuring following the National Health Service's own reorganisation; 1988 Department split again in 1988 to form the Department of Health and the Department of Social Security; 1989, other departments added with the creation of the Medicines Control Agency; 2003, leading to a smaller Department with six ministers, 2,245 staff and three executive agencies.