<unk> , officially the NHS Commissioning Board, is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care. It oversees the budget, planning, delivery and day-to-day operation of the commissioning side of the National Health Service in<unk>  as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. It directly commissions NHS general practitioners, dentists, optometrists and some specialist services. The Secretary of State publishes annually a document known as the NHS mandate which specifies the objectives which the Board should seek to achieve. National Health Service (Mandate Requirements) Regulations are published each year to give legal force to the mandate.<unk>  employs around 6,500 staff in 50 sites around<unk> . Most of its staff previously worked for the decommissioned primary care trusts and strategic health authorities. In 2018 it was announced that the organisation, while maintaining its statutory independence, would be merged with NHS Improvement, and seven "single integrated regional teams" would be jointly established. Sir Simon Stevens held the role of Chief Executive from 2014 to July 2021, and it was announced that he would receive a peerage for his work. Amanda Pritchard, the Chief Operating Officer of<unk> , was promoted to Chief Executive on 1 August 2021.
NHS England
NHS Wales
NHS East of England
NHS London
NHS Digital
NHS Barnet
NHS Charities Together
NHS North West