In the context of restructuring of the National Public Health and Medical Officer Service (Állami Népegészségügyi és Tisztiorvosi Szolgálat, ÁNTSZ), some 563 employees are being laid off and several regional offices will be closed down or merged. ÁNTSZ is responsible for the direction, coordination and supervision of public health, epidemiology, health development, health care operations activities and the supervision of the health care supply as well. The majority (80%) of those dismissed is close to retirement age, or is already retired but ÁNTSZ continued to employ them after their retirement. The reason behind the dismissals is a major reorganisation of ÁNTSZ, which will leave seven regional offices instead of the previous 20 county-based bodies. As the operation of ÁNTSZ is regulated by legislative rules, some 80 of them will have to be amended in order to change the profile of the health care organisation from an approving authority to a supervisory one. A January 2007 study in the media reported that region-based reorganisation of ÁNTSZ has been completed and ÁNTSZ offices in micro-regions, instead of those in towns and cities, have been mostly set up. Communications manager of the agency announced that altogether 1,000 employees would be laid off but attempt is to be made to avoid across-the-board reduction of staff.