The Department of Municipal Healthcare Services (MHS) has the primary responsibility for the central government’s policies relating to the municipal health and care services set out in the Act relating to municipal health and care services and the Dental Health Services Act. This includes:

• Regulation general practitioners;
• intermunicipal emergency primary
  care centres and other general practitioner services;
• physiotherapy/healthy lives/teaching and coping services;
• prison healthcare services;
• child health clinic and school health services;
• dental health services etc.;
• in-home healthcare services;
• personal assistance, including practical assistance and training, and
• support contact and place at an institution, including nursing home.

Furthermore, the Department is responsible for oversight of and coordination responsibility for: 

• The Norwegian Board of Health Supervision;
• The Norwegian Healthcare Investigation Board and the county governors;
• The Norwegian State Housing Bank within the domain of the Ministry of Health and Care Services;
• responsibility for coordinating the Ministry’s work in the areas of
• mental health, drug addiction and violence;
• children and youth;
• rehabilitation;
• persons with disabilities;
• dementia;
• palliative care;
• family members;
• the Consultation Scheme with KS (Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities);
• sexual health;
• health competency;
• asylum seekers/refugees and the field of immigrant health, in addition to the Sámi population and national minorities.

The department consists of the following sections

• Section for Development

  The Section for Development is responsible for decision-based services in the municipal health and care services, including capacity and quality development in the municipal care services.

• Section for Innovation and Competence

  The Section for Innovation and Competence is responsible for user fees and funding of care services, user-controlled personal assistance, main responsibility for the follow-up of Kompetanseløft2025 (Competence Enhancement 2025) and the Escalation Plan for full-time and good staffing in the care services.

• Section for Interdisciplinary Services and Dental Health Services

  The Section for Interdisciplinary Services and Dental Health Services is responsible for following-up the Ministry of Health and Care Services’ work on mental health and the fields of drug addiction, violence and trauma, research, competence, personnel and management, social technology, as well as well as statutory regulation, organisation and funding of the dental health services.

• Section for Healthcare Services and Financial Affairs

  The Section for Healthcare Services and Financial Affairs is responsible for healthcare services at the municipal level, including the regular general practitioner scheme, intermunicipal emergency primary care centres, physiotherapy and rehabilitation services, child health clinic and school health services, etc.