Secretary_of_State_for_Health

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also referred to as the Health Secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department of Health and Social Care.[3] The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

Quick Facts United Kingdom Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Style ...

The position can trace its roots back to the nineteenth century, and has been a secretary of state position since 1968. For 30 years, from 1988 to 2018, the position was titled Secretary of State for Health, before Prime Minister Theresa May added "and Social Care" to the designation in the 2018 British cabinet reshuffle.[4]

The office holder works alongside the other health and social care ministers. The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow secretary of state for health and social care, and the secretary of state is also scrutinised by the Health and Social Care Select Committee.[5]

The position is currently held by Victoria Atkins since 13 November 2023.

Responsibilities

Corresponding to what is generally known as a health minister in many other countries, the health secretary's remit includes the following:

  • Oversight of England's National Health Service, including:
    • Delivery of care
    • Performance
    • Fiscal consolidation
    • Financial management[6]
  • Matters concerning England's social care policy (although responsibility is shared with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government in respect of adult social care, and the Department for Education in respect of children's social care).
  • Matters concerning England's national public health
  • Relations with international health partnerships (WHO)

History

The first Boards of Health were created by Orders in Council dated 21 June, 14 November and 21 November 1831. In 1848, a General Board of Health was created with lay members as its leadership[7] and the first commissioner of woods and forests as its president. In 1854, this board was reconstituted and the president appointed separately. However, the board was abolished in 1858 and its function of overseeing the local boards was transferred to a new Local Government Act Office within the Home Office. From 1871, that function was transferred to the new Local Government Board.[citation needed]

The Ministry of Health was created in by the Ministry of Health Act 1919 as a reconstruction of the Local Government Board. Local government functions were eventually transferred to the minister of housing and local government, leaving the Health Ministry in charge of Health proper.

From 1968, it was amalgamated with the Ministry of Social Security under the secretary of state for social services, until a de-merger of the Department of Health and Social Security on 25 July 1988.

Since devolution in 1999, the position holder's responsibility for the NHS is mainly restricted to the health service in England, with the holder's counterparts in Scotland and Wales responsible for the NHS in Scotland and Wales. Prior to devolution, the secretaries of state for Scotland and Wales had those respective responsibilities, but the Department of Health had a larger role than now in the co-ordination of health policy across Great Britain. Health services in Northern Ireland have always had separate arrangements from the rest of the UK, and are currently the responsibility of the health minister in the Northern Ireland Executive.

A small number of health issues remain reserved matters, that is, they are not devolved.

According to Jeremy Hunt the department receives more letters than any other government department and there are 50 officials in the correspondence unit.[8]

List of ministers

Colour key (for political parties):
   Whig    Conservative    Radical    Peelite    Liberal    Labour    Unionist    National Labour    National Liberal

President of the Board of Health (1848-1858)

More information President of the Board, Term of office ...

Minister of Health (1919–1968)

More information Minister, Term of office ...

Secretary of State for Health and Social Services (1968–1988)

More information Term of office, Political party ...

Secretary of State for Health (1988–2018)

More information Term of office, Political party ...

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (2018–present)

More information Term of office, Political party ...

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Salaries of Members of His Majesty's Government – Financial Year 2022–23" (PDF). 15 December 2022.
  2. [2]
    "Pay and expenses for MPs". parliament.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  3. [3]
    "Secretary of State for Health and Social Care". gov.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  4. [4]
    "Jeremy Hunt keeps Heath Secretary with added social care brief despite overseeing NHS 'winter crisis'". The Independent. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2021. Jeremy Hunt has kept his job as Health Secretary, despite overseeing what is widely viewed as a winter crisis in the NHS. However, Theresa May has added social care to his responsibilities, to signal her determination to sort out one of the biggest issues facing the country.
  5. [5]
    "Health Secretary answers questions on the Government's handling of the pandemic". UK PARLIAMENT. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022. Matt Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, answers questions from MPs on the Government's handling of the covid-19 pandemic.
  6. [6]
    "Secretary of State for Health and Social Care - GOV.UK". gov.uk.
  7. [7]
    "4 Dec 1848, 5 - The Observer at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  8. [8]
    Hunt, Jeremy (2022). Zero. London: Swift Press. p. 14. ISBN 9781800751224.
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