NHS London is the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) for the whole of the Greater London area. That means we provide strategic leadership for the capital's healthcare and make sure the 13 billion annual investment in staff and services delivers the best possible care and support for the public and patients.

NHS London has overall responsibility for the performance of 31 primary care trusts (PCTs) - who operate in five clusters, 16 acute trusts, three mental health trusts and the London Ambulance Service. A further 18 Trusts in London are foundation trusts and regulated by Monitor.

Our role

The role of NHS London is to provide strategic leadership for the capital's health system. We work with others to achieve our role and encourage the NHS in London to work in partnership with stakeholders to ensure that resources are used effectively, maximising benefits for Londoners.

It's our role to encourage NHS services in London to constantly find new ways to improve the health of Londoners, tackle health inequalities and provide the highest quality services.

We want to build a sustainable, affordable and innovative health service that meets the challenges of the future.

This involves:

• providing strategic leadership for the NHS in London
• building a sustainable, affordable and innovative health service in London
• ensuring health resourcing tackles inequalities and shifts the balance of resources towards community services
• encouraging the NHS in London to work in partnership with stakeholders.

For more information about our role and the different work we do across London visit the what we do area.

The SHA background

NHS London is one of ten Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) in England.

We were formed in July 2006 when the five previous London SHAs where combined, bringing together the North West London, North Central London, North East London, South East London, and South West London authorities.

Commissioning a Patient-led NHS (Department of Health, 2005) provided the national framework for its creation with its goal to improve the commissioning of health services for local populations, thereby improving health, reducing health inequalities and promoting patient choice and access to quality healthcare.