Subsection 1: Directorate-General for Health.

The Directorate General for Health prepares the public health policy defined in article L. 1411-1 and contributes to its implementation, in liaison with the other directorates and departments of the Ministry of Health and the other competent ministerial departments, their decentralised departments and the establishments or bodies that depend on them.

To this end:

1° On the basis of the strategic and forward-looking analyses it conducts and the research it promotes, it proposes the objectives and priorities of public health policy, ensuring, in particular, that risks are prevented, that the general state of health of the population is improved, that there is equal access to the healthcare system, as well as the quality and safety of the latter and the quality of life of people who are ill. It drafts legislative and regulatory texts;

2° It draws up public health plans and national health programmes; it oversees their implementation. It defines the indicators needed to monitor and evaluate their implementation;

It draws up and helps to implement health policy for the various stages of life. It proposes objectives and monitors mental health policies. It is responsible for the health aspect of the policy to combat addictive practices. It leads the chronic disease and cancer prevention policy. It participates in the implementation of policies to combat pain and provide support at the end of life. It helps to protect the health of people in precarious situations and victims of violence. It takes into account the specific difficulties of vulnerable populations;

3° It participates in the development of policies relating to the rights of patients and users of the healthcare system, ethics, bioethics and compensation for victims of medical accidents. It helps to ensure that the rights of patients and users of the healthcare system are respected. It ensures the participation of citizens in the definition of healthcare policies and of users in the operation of the healthcare system, and lays down the procedures for this; it ensures compliance with the rules of professional ethics and the prevention of conflicts of interest, particularly with regard to health expertise;

4° It monitors the quality and safety of care, professional practices, biomedical research and health products, and helps to ensure that patients have access to innovations;

It participates in defining policy on medicines and other health products and on elements and products derived from the human body;

Together with the Social Security Department, it prepares the decisions that will enable them to be reimbursed by the health insurance system. It monitors unconventional practices;

5° It draws up the policy for the prevention and management of infectious risks, and in particular the vaccination policy, as well as the policy for the prevention of non-infectious iatrogenic risks;

6° It participates in defining and contributes to the implementation of actions to prevent, monitor and manage health risks related to the environment, the workplace, everyday accidents, water and food. It also contributes to the definition of nutritional policy;

7° It centralises health alerts. In liaison with the other ministries and institutions concerned, it organises and ensures the management of health emergencies; it coordinates or participates in the preparation of responses to exceptional health situations;

8° It assists the Directorate General for Healthcare Organisation in determining the need for healthcare professionals, defining their competencies and defining the ethical rules applicable to them. It also participates in determining the training needs of medical and paramedical professions or those that contribute to meeting the health needs of the population;

9° It takes part in the National Steering Committee for Regional Health Agencies and monitors the work of these agencies in its area of responsibility. It is responsible for overseeing other public establishments and bodies operating in the fields of public health and health safety. It prepares contracts with these establishments;

10° It takes part in defining the French position when public health and health safety issues are examined by European and international bodies and in drafting texts for these bodies.

The Directorate General for Health is headed by a Director General, assisted in all his duties by a Director with the title of Deputy Director General.