Health systems

Health systems are responsible for delivering services that improve, maintain or restore the health of individuals and their communities. This includes the care provided by hospitals and family doctors, but also less visible tasks such as the prevention and control of communicable disease, health promotion, health workforce planning and improving the social, economic or environmental conditions in which people live.

Health systems are also responsible for the careful management (or stewardship) of these services to ensure that they reach everyone equally, are responsive to individual needs and vulnerabilities, and do not impose an excessive financial burden on individuals or families.