Minister of Health and Care Services of Norway Helse- og omsorgsministeren |
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Ministry of Health and Care Services | |
Member of | Council of State |
Seat | Oslo |
Nominator | Prime Minister |
Appointer |
Monarch with approval of Parliament |
Term length | No fixed length |
Constituting instrument | Constitution of Norway |
Precursor | Minister of Social Affairs |
Formation | 4 September 1992 |
First holder | Werner Christie |
Deputy | State secretaries at the Ministry of Health and Care Services |
Website | Official website |
The Minister of Health and Care Services (Norwegian: Helse- og omsorgsministeren) is a councilor of state and chief of the Norway's Ministry of Health and Care Services. Since 16 October 2013 the position has been held by Bent Høie of the Conservative Party. The ministry is responsible for healthcare and care services, with the state's healthcare activities being carried out by four regional health authorities. Major institutions subordinate to the ministry include the Directorate for Health, the Board of Health Supervision, the Institute of Public Health, the Medicines Agency, the Radiation Protection Authority, the Labour and Welfare Service and the Food Safety Authority.
The position was created in 1992 and originally held the healthcare portfolio of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The remainder of the ministry's portfolio was taken care of by the Minister of Social Affairs. From 2002 the position has been chief of its own ministry. The position has been held by eleven people from three parties. Dagfinn Høybråten has held the position the longest, for three and a half years, and is also the only person to have held the position twice. No-one has held the seat for less than a year, with Ansgar Gabrielsen having the shortest tenure.