The Regional Health Inspectorate of the Azores (IReS) was created in 2010 as a control, audit and supervisory entity under the supervision of the Regional Secretariat for Health. It is endowed with technical autonomy and independence in the exercise of its legal powers. It is headed by a Regional Inspector, being supported by a multidisciplinary inspectorate team and an administrative section.

This entity is responsible for ensuring, throughout the territory of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the compliance with health standards with a view to the proper functioning and quality of health services, both those provided by the Regional Health Service and those provided by private entities.

The IReS carries out a wide range of actions with different purposes, such as audits, inspections and monitoring actions, with a view to adopting out a prevention-based and educational approach, as well as sanctioning procedures, namely disciplinary or administrative sanctions.
They are guided, inter alia, by the principles of objectivity, equality and impartiality.