The Ministry of Health was established in 1946 under its first name, the Department of Health and Welfare, with the enactment of the Department of Health and Welfare Act (SBC 1946, c. 31). Prior to that, public health services in British Columbia began in 1869 following the passage of An ordinance for promoting the public health in the Colony of British Columbia. When British Columbia joined confederation in 1871, the ordinance became part of the statutes. With the passage of the Public Health Act in 1893, the Provincial Board of Health was formed, reporting to the Attorney-General. From 1907 to 1946, the functions of public health, social welfare, and social assistance were administered by a Provincial Health Officer reporting to the Provincial Board of Health in the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary. With the establishment of the Dept. of Health and Welfare in 1946, responsibility for public health and social welfare in the province was transferred to the department from the Provincial Secretary. The deputy minister of health was the Provincial Health Officer and the department was divided into two branches: public health and social welfare. A third branch, Hospital Insurance Services, was added in 1948 with the passage of the Hospital Insurance Act (SBC 1948, c. 28). It administered payment of hospital bills, hospital management, and hospital construction. In 1959, the functions of health and social welfare were separated to form two new departments, the Dept. of Social Welfare and the Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance (SBC 1959, c. 38). The newly named Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance was organized into three branches: health, mental health services (transferred from the jurisdiction of Provincial Secretary), and hospital insurance service. Another government reorganization in 1972, and a major review of provincial health services, eliminated the Mental Health Branch by assigning its resources to various components within the department. The department was renamed the Dept. of Health in 1973 (SBC 1973, c. 109) and it was divided into two branches: Medical and Hospital Programs and Community Health Programs. In 1976, the department was renamed the Ministry of Health (OIC 3199/76). A year later, mental health had returned as a program, to be included with public health and special health programs. After 1980, the department had three programs: Preventive Services, Direct Community Care Services, and Hospital Programs. Two years later the names of the programs changed to: Community Care, Long Term Care, and Hospital Programs. In 1984 the departments two programs were Preventive and Community Care Services and Institutional Services. These changed to Hospital Programs, Continuing Care Services, and Emergency Health Services in 1988. Responsibility for seniors was added to the Ministry of Health in 1989, and in 1996 the ministry was renamed Ministry of Health and Ministry Responsible for Seniors (OIC 203/96). In 2001, the functions of the ministry were divided between two new ministries: the Ministry of Health Services and the Ministry of Health Planning.