Professional Matters Optometry & Dispensing
The new Government’s Health Team
The new Government’s Health Team
The Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed these ministers:
Wes Streeting, secretary of state for health and social care
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Stephen Kinnock MP, minister of state for care, will be responsible for primary eye care services He was elected as the MP for Aberafan Maesteg in July 2024.Minister of State for Care
The Minister of State for Care is responsible for:
- adult social care:
- workforce
- funding
- system assurance and data
- markets
- technology and innovation
- continuing healthcare
- hospital and community discharge
- health and social care integration
- dementia
- primary care:
- general practice
- pharmacy
- eye care
- dentistry More about this role
- adult social care:
Karin Smyth MP
minister of state for health (secondary care), will also have a large portfolio, including system oversight, workforce, elective care and finance. She was elected as the MP for Bristol South in July 2024.
Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care)
The Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care) is responsible for:
- system oversight:
- system reconfigurations and improvement
- commissioning
- elective care:
- elective performance and waiting list recovery
- cancer care
- NHS workforce:
- recruitment and retention
- education and training
- leadership
- pay and pensions
- industrial relations
- professional regulation
- NHS data and technology:
- cyber security
- Federated Data Platform
- NHS capital, land and estates:
- New Hospital Programme
- hospital upgrades
- reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC)
- energy resilience and net zero
- car parking
- medicines:
- medicines regulation, pricing and supply
- prescribing
- supply threats and disruption
- NHS finance:
- procurement
- cost recovery and immigration health surcharge
- counter fraud
- urgent and emergency care:
- accident and emergency services
- NHS 111 services
- hospital at home services
- ambulances
- winter planning
- sponsorship of:
- NHS England
- NHS Counter Fraud Authority
- NHS Property Services
- NHS Business Services Authority
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence More about this role
- system oversight:
Andrew Gwynn MPparliamentary under-secretary of state for public health and prevention. He was elected as the MP for Gorton and Denton in July 2024.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention is responsible for:
- health protection:
- COVID-19
- environmental health
- infectious diseases
- seasonal immunisations
- routine immunisations
- Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme
- pandemic preparedness
- emergency response
- antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
- chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats (CBRN)
- health improvement:
- diet and obesity
- addiction, including tobacco, alcohol, drugs and gambling
- NHS Health Check
- health inequalities
- child health and family services
- work and health
- sexual health, including HIV
- international:
- World Health Organization and international engagement
- EU and trade
- devolved administrations
- crown dependencies and overseas territories
- overseas development aid programmes, including Public Health Rapid Support Team
- major and long-term conditions:
- cancer prevention and strategy
- diabetes
- cardiovascular diseases
- rare diseases
- long-term conditions
- screening
- sponsorship of:
- UK Health Security Agency
- Food Standards Agency More about this role
- health protection:
Baroness Merron parliamentary under-secretary of state for patient safety, women’s health and mental health.Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health is responsible for:
- patient voice and patient experience:
- Patient Safety Commissioner
- complaints
- Healthwatch
- patient safety:
- clinical negligence
- inquiries
- quality regulation
- death certification
- indemnity
- mental health:
- mental health reform
- children and young people and early intervention
- suicide and crisis prevention
- offender health
- mental health inquiries
- blood, transplant and organs
- research:
- clinical trials
- COVID-19 vaccine licensing
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- life sciences and innovation:
- medtech and regulation
- genomics
- women’s health
- maternity services
- reproductive health
- abortion
- gender identity services
- statutory instruments, including retained EU laws
- departmental management
- sponsorship of:
- Health Research Authority
- Care Quality Commission
- Health Services Safety Investigations Body
- NHS Resolution
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
- Human Tissue Authority
- NHS Blood and Transplant More about this role
Streeting MP has also:
- Appointed professor Lord Darzi to report on the state of the NHS in England. Read more
- Alan Milburn, who supports greater control and choice for patients over their care, will return to the NHS as an adviser
ED (Bob Hutchinson Past President of General Practice with Primary Health Care at the RSM): The Vision Sector must make the most of this opportunity to influence this considerably knowledgeable team to insist on the new prominence in Primary Care.
- patient voice and patient experience:
