The South Eastern HSC Trust is part of a wider health service family. This page explains who the various organisations are, their role, and how they fit together to provide public health and social care services to people in Northern Ireland.

In Northern Ireland, the National Health Service (NHS) is referred to as HSC or Health and Social Care. Just like the NHS, it is free at the point of delivery but in Northern Ireland it also provides social care services like home care services, family and children's services, day care services and social work services.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public safety has overall authority for health and social care services. Services are commissioned by the Health and Social Care Board and provided by five Health and Social Care Trusts - Belfast, South Eastern, Southern, Northern and Western. The sixth Trust is the NI Ambulance Trust who provide ambualnce services.

With overall authority, and allocation of government funding the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland (DHSSPS) is one of 11 Northern Ireland Government Departments created in 1999 as part of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Health and Social Care is one of the three main business responsibilities of the Department which are:

- Health and Social Care (HSC), which includes policy and legislation for hospitals, family practitioner services and community health and personal social services;
- Public Health, which covers policy, legislation and administrative action to promote and protect the health and well-being of the population; and
- Public Safety, which covers policy and legislation for fire and rescue services.