The Ministry

Ministry (government department)

A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...

 of Health

Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...

, Welfare

Quality of Life

Quality of Life is a 2004 drama film, telling the fictional story of two graffiti writers in the Mission District of San Francisco.Directed by Benjamin Morgan, Quality of Life stars Lane Garrison, Brian Burnam, Luis Saguar and Mackenzie Firgens. Morgan co-wrote the screenplay with Burnam, who is a...

 and Sport

Sport

A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...

(Dutch: Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport; VWS) is the public health authority of the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

. The current minister is Edith Schippers

Edith Schippers

Edith Ingeborg Schippers is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , and was elected as deputy party leader in 2006. She was a Member of the House of Representatives from 2003 until 2010. On October 14, 2010 she became Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport.-References:...

. She is aided by State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport (Marlies Veldhuijzen van Zanten-Hyllner

Marlies Veldhuijzen van Zanten-Hyllner

Marie Louise Lydia Elisabeth "Marlies" Veldhuijzen van Zanten-Hyllner is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal . She is the State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport in the Cabinet Rutte serving since 14 October 2010.-External links:...

).

Responsibilities

The ministry is responsible for three policy areas:

• Public health and health care
• Welfare and social-cultural work
• Sports

Organisation

The ministry is currently headed by two ministers and one state secretary. The ministry's main office is located in the centre of the Hague

The Hague

The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...

. The civil service is headed by a secretary general and a deputy secretary general, who head a system of three directorates general:

• Public Health, responsible for safety, prevention and sports
• Health Care, responsible for care, medicine and health insurances
• Youth and Welfare

The ministry is also responsible for several autonomous agencies, most prominently:

• Social and Cultural Planning Office
• Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
  Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
  The Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment , is a Dutch research institute that is an independent agency of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport....
  
  

History

There had been a ministry of Social Work since 1952. In 1965 it was also given responsibility for Culture and Recreation and it was named Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Social Work. Between 1951 and 1973 there had been a Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Care. In 1973 a separate Ministry of Health and the Environment was formed. In 1982 these two ministries merged to form the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Sports. Responsibilities concerning the environment and nature management were given to the newly reorganized Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment and Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries. The ministry built a new headquarters in 2003 designed by architect Michael Graves

Michael Graves

Michael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....

. In 1996 the responsibility for culture was transferred to the newly reorganized Ministry of Education, Science and Culture

OCW

OCW may refer to:* OpenCourseWare, university material that is available for all to see and use* OCW, The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science*OCW, abbreviation of The Oxford Companion to Wine...

.

Ministers

The following politicians have been minister of Health since 1982:

• 2010-now Edith Schippers
  Edith Schippers
  Edith Ingeborg Schippers is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , and was elected as deputy party leader in 2006. She was a Member of the House of Representatives from 2003 until 2010. On October 14, 2010 she became Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport.-References:...
  
   (VVD)
  • 2010-now Marlies Veldhuijzen van Zanten (CDA
    Christian Democratic Appeal
    The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
    
    , state secretary)
• 2007-2010 Ab Klink
  Ab Klink
  Abraham Klink is a former Dutch politician of Christian Democratic Appeal . He was Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport in the Fourth Balkenende cabinet.-External links: , Parlement & Politiek...
  
   (CDA)
• 2007-2010 Andre Rouvoet
  André Rouvoet
  André Rouvoet is a former Dutch politician of the ChristianUnion . First as a member of the RPF until the party merged with the Reformed Political League to form the ChristianUnion. He served as a Member of the House of Representatives from May 17, 1994 until February 22, 2007...
  
   (CU
  ChristianUnion
  The ChristianUnion , abbreviated to CU, is a Dutch Christian democratic political party. A centrist party, the CU's policies combine social conservatism and soft euroscepticism with more centre-left positions on economic, immigration, and environmental issues.Founded in 2000 as a merger of the...
  
  , minister without portfolio for youth and family)
  • 2007-2010 Jet Bussemaker
    Jet Bussemaker
    Mariëtte Bussemaker is a former Dutch politician and is state secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport.Jet Bussemaker attended primary and secondary education in Oegstgeest...
    
     (PvdA, state secretary)
• 2002-2007 Hans Hoogervorst
  Hans Hoogervorst
  Hans Hoogervorst is a Dutch political and business figure. He is chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board.-Career:...
  
   (VVD
• 2002 Eduard Bomhoff
  Eduard Bomhoff
  Eduard Jan Bomhoff is a Dutch Economist and Academic, and was Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport and Deputy Prime Minister in the First Balkenende cabinet.-Personal life:...
  
   (LPF)
  • 2002-2006 Clémence Ross-van Dorp
    Clémence Ross-van Dorp
    Clemencia Ignatia Johanna Maria Ross-van Dorp is a Dutch politician.-References:...
    
     (CDA)
• 1994-2002 Els Borst
  Els Borst
  Else Borst-Eilers is a former Dutch Politician, she led D66 in the 1998 election campaign and served as Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport for eight years, and the last four as Deputy Prime Minister. Before entering politics she had a career in medicine.-Education and Academic Career:Borst...
  
   (D66)
  • 1998-2002 Margo Vliegenthart
    Margo Vliegenthart
    Anne Margot Vliegenthart is a Dutch former politician.-References:* at www.parlement.com...
    
     (PvdA, state secretary)
  • 1994-1998 Erica Terpstra
    Erica Terpstra
    Erica Georgine Terpstra is a retired Dutch freestyle swimmer, theosopher, sports journalist, state secretary and member of parliament. Between late 2003 and 18 May 2010 she was chairperson of the NOC*NSF...
    
     (VVD, state secretary)
• 1989-1994 Hedy d'Ancona (PvdA)
  • 1989-1994 Hans Simons (PvdA, state secretary)
• 1982-1989 Elco Brinkman
  Elco Brinkman
  Leendert Cornelis "Elco" Brinkman is a Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal .-External links:...
  
   (CDA)
  • 1986-1989 Dick Dees
    Dick Dees
    Dirk Jan Dignus Dees is a former Dutch politician.-References:...
    
     (VVD, state secretary)
  • 1982-1986 Joop van der Reijden
    Joop van der Reijden
    Johannes Piet van der Reijden was a Dutch politician.-References:...
    
    (CDA, state secretary)

External links

• Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport