Regional health authorities (RHAs) were National Health Service (NHS) organisations set up in 1974 by the National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 to replace regional hospital boards and to manage a lower tier of area health authorities (AHAs) in England.[1] AHAs were created for Wales but not RHAs. Separate legislation was passed for Scotland. In 1996, the regional health authorities were abolished and replaced by eight regional offices of the NHS Executive as a result of the Health Authorities Act 1995.