In 1968 the Ministry of Health merged with the Ministry of Social Security to form the Department of Health and Social Security. The Department underwent further restructuring in 1974, following the National Health Service's own reorganisation. Currently named Department of Health.

The Department split again in 1988 to form the Department of Health and the Department of Social Security. It then began to devolve power to newly created arm's length bodies in 1989, with the creation of the Medicines Control Agency.