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Prime minister Rishi Sunak appointed Conservative MP for North East Cambridgeshire Steve Barclay as secretary of state for health and social care on 25 October 2022. He previously held the same role between 5 July and 6 September - after Sajid Javid resigned as health secretary. As head of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) his responsibilities will include "overall financial control and oversight of NHS delivery and performance" as well as "oversight of social care policy". Mr Barclay was succeeded by Thérèse Coffey, who thanked her "great ministerial team" at the DHSC in a Tweet, before taking up her new responsibility as environment secretary in the new cabinet. As head of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) his responsibilities will include "overall financial control and oversight of NHS delivery and performance" as well as "oversight of social care policy". Mr Barclay was succeeded by Thérèse Coffey, who thanked her "great ministerial team" at the DHSC in a Tweet, before taking up her new responsibility as environment secretary in the new cabinet.

Louth and Horncastle's MP Victoria Atkins has taken the new role of Health Secretary today (13 November) amid the PM's cabinet reshuffle. Steve Barclay, the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care was moved to become Environment Secretary after being assigned the role of Health Secretary. The following decision was made consequent to Steve Barclay being reassigned from the role. The news comes at a time when the NHS faces enduring challenges and industrial action, making this change particularly significant. MP Atkins is married to Paul Kenward, managing director of British Sugar, which also grows medicinal cannabis.

Dr Thérèse Coffey, the MP for Suffolk Coastal, has been appointed as health secretary - the fourth person to get the job after Jeremy Hunt, Matt Hancock, Sajid Javid and Steve Barclay in the past five years. She replaces Steve Barclay who held the job for just two months between July and September. Having first been elected in 2010 and subsequently re-elected in 2015, 2017 and 2019, Dr Coffey has served as secretary of state for the Department of Work and Pensions. Previous to that she served as environment minister, deputy leader of the House, government whip and parliamentary private secretary. As an MP she has campaigned on improving NHS experience for patients. Dr Coffey grew up in the North West and has a PhD in Chemistry and a chartered management accountant qualification.

Change is sweeping through Westminster as the newly elected Labour government makes strategic cabinet appointments following their landslide victory in the general election held on Thursday, July 4. With Sir Keir Starmer stepping in as the new Prime Minister and Wes Streeting assuming the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care role, the announcement of Karin Smyth and Stephen Kinnock as health ministers on Monday marked a pivotal moment in Labour's healthcare agenda. Who is the new Minister of State for Health? Karin Smyth, the Labour MP for Bristol South, has been appointed as Minister of State for Health. Smyth has a robust background in healthcare, having served as a shadow spokesperson on health since December 2021. Her previous roles include Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland and Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons. Before her parliamentary career, Smyth worked as an NHS Manager and held a non-executive director position at an NHS Trust.

Teva UK has alerted the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to the problem posed by steep energy prices. Teva's UK General Manager Kim Innes wrote to the minister seeking assurances that the distribution of medicines to patients will be safeguarded over what's likely to be a difficult winter. The problems posed by steep energy prices and the potential for power rationing is putting pharmacies under pressure from increased costs and the risk of losing power supplies as a 'non-domestic' energy user, said the company. Kim said: "In our letter to the Secretary of State we acknowledged that the government knows that medicines manufacture is strategically important and that it's a vital component in maintaining patient health." "But I wanted to make sure that the Secretary of State also realises the consequences of the energy crisis further down the supply chain - for example, the need for a pharmacy to have a fridge switched on at all times for storing cold chain products."

The Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA), in collaboration with the Association of Optometrists (AOP), the British Dental Association (BDA) and the NHS Confederation has written to health secretary Wes Streeting, urging him to ensure sustainable investment in primary care to strengthen the NHS and better serve patients. In their letter, the group congratulated Streeting on his recent appointment as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and requested a meeting to provide their joint constructive input towards improving health outcomes. They expressed concern that recent administrations have failed to follow through on promises to properly integrate and fund primary care, leading to deteriorating health outcomes. "Our collective experience is that our National Health Service (NHS), and health outcomes generally, have suffered at the hands of recent administrations that have talked much about the importance of properly integrating and funding primary care but not followed through with action," they wrote. The associations emphasised the need to transition the NHS to a Neighbourhood Health Service, where more care is delivered within local communities to identify problems earlier.

Wes Streeting MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the new Labour Government. The Ilford North MP will now take on the critical role of overseeing the National Health Service (NHS) and implementing Labour's ambitious health agenda. At the core of the Labour Party's healthcare reform manifesto is enhancing accessibility to primary and community healthcare. This involves implementing a 'Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service,' to empower pharmacists with independent prescribing rights where clinically suitable. This initiative aims to alleviate the strain on GP practices and enhance service accessibility. Additionally, the manifesto proposes piloting Neighbourhood Health Centres, to integrate various healthcare services -such as family doctors, district nurses, and mental health specialists under one roof.

Following Community Pharmacy England's Parliamentary drop-in event on medicines supply issues last week, several MPs have since raised questions to the Health Secretary during a Health Questions session on July 18th. According to CPE, MPs from all Parties displayed great engagement with the current pressures facing community pharmacies, particularly regarding medicines supply issues. During last week's event, Mike Amesbury, the MP for Weaver Vale, was present and directed a question to the Health Secretary: "Eighteen community pharmacists in my constituency are reporting challenges with medicine supplies. What further actions will the Minister take to address and resolve this situation effectively?" In response, Health Secretary Steve Barclay MP stated, "We have a dedicated team in the Department that focuses on medical supplies, which are an ongoing concern. Challenges in this area are a routine part of our business."

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting reiterated his commitment to reducing NHS waiting lists during his visit to Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust's Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot on Friday. Streeting toured the Berkshire hospital, which is helping tackle backlogs of planned operations with dedicated surgical services, thereby cutting local waiting lists. The health secretary spoke to staff and patients at the hospital before meeting regional health representatives to discuss the issues facing services at a town hall event. His visit follows his recent call for an independent investigation into the NHS, pledging to be honest about the state of the health service and serious about fixing it. "The NHS is broken. Millions of patients are waiting too long for treatment, often in pain and discomfort," Streeting said.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) temporary register which was expected to close on 30 September 2022 will continue for the next two years following a request from the secretary of state for health and social care. The temporary register was set up in 2020 after the then secretary of state asked the GPhC to use its emergency powers in order to rapidly register pharmacy professionals to assist in the national response to the Covid-19 emergency. The UK government has made this decision, which is referenced in its new 'Plan for Patients' in England to enable health professionals on the temporary registers to continue to support the health and social care system. The Government had previously announced that the temporary registers established by the health professional regulators were expected to close on 30 September 2022. The decision by the UK government to ask the regulators to keep the temporary registers means that pharmacy professionals on GPhC temporary register can continue to practise.

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting outlined his plans for NHS reform on Friday (21 April), where he also mentioned a desire to see pharmacies take on more workload and pharmacists' clinical skills to be better utilised. In his speech, he also expressed concern at warnings from the pharmacy sector and pharmacy closures. The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) appreciated Shadow Health Secretary's desire to enhance pharmacies' role in primary care reform but also stated that the sector is in urgently needs a funding injection. Dr. Nick Thayer, Head of Policy at the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) comment: "We are pleased to see the Shadow Health Secretary recognise the enhanced role that pharmacies should play in primary care reform. Mr Streeting wants to see care brought closer to people's homes and more front doors into the NHS. With 89.2% of the population located within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy, pharmacies do just that. They are essential to realising his vision of a 'neighbourhood health service'. Pharmacies could free up over 42m GP appointments annually, including 10m vaccination appointments. Urgent same-day appointments for minor conditions in pharmacies will immediately benefit patients by increasing GP access. The first step is for the Government to immediately commission a fully-funded Pharmacy First service in England.

Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn has been appointed as the lead non-executive member of the Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) board to support the government's ambitious NHS reform agenda. He will succeed Samantha Jones, who has served as a non-executive director since February 2023. Milburn, known for his successful track record in reducing NHS waiting lists and improving patient satisfaction, will offer advice to help rebuild an NHS fit for the future. Expressing his enthusiasm to be appointed to this role, Milburn said, "Having spent three decades working in health policy, I have never seen the NHS in a worse state. Big reforms will be needed to make it fit for the future. "I am confident this government has the right plans in place to transform the health service and the health of the nation. "I'm looking forward to working with them to achieve that mission."

In his first speech as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP acknowledged that the NHS is in crisis while outlining his mission to save the health service. Streeting described the current state of the NHS as "broken," noting its failure to meet the needs of both patients and dedicated healthcare professionals. "When we said during the election campaign, that the NHS was going through the biggest crisis in its history, we meant it. "When we said that patients are being failed on a daily basis, it wasn't political rhetoric, but the daily reality faced by millions," he said on Friday (5 July). The new health secretary remarked that previous governments had been unwilling to admit these simple facts.

Victoria Atkins MP, the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, visited NPA board member Sukhi Basra (L) at CliniChem pharmacy in Central London on Thursday (16 November). Basra was accompanied by NPA Chief Executive Mark Lyonette. This was among Atkins' first appointments following her recent promotion in the recent Cabinet reshuffle. Atkins met with staff and patients to explore clinical services and discuss the evolving role of the community pharmacy sector. "Welcoming politicians and officials to my pharmacy is always a pleasure," Basra said. Basra highlighted the opportunity to brief the Health Secretary on the latest developments, including Pharmacy First.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recently published Lord Darzi's report on the state of NHS England, revealing that the health service is in "serious trouble." "The service has been chronically weakened by a lack of capital investment, which has lagged behind other similar countries by tens of billions of pounds," he stated. Shortly after taking office, Health Secretary Wes Streeting commissioned an independent investigation to assess the challenges facing the healthcare system in preparation for a new 10-year health plan. Former surgeon Lord Ara Darzi was appointed to lead this review. In his report, Lord Darzi pointed out that the NHS has failed to meet key promises made to the public since 2015, and patient satisfaction is now at its "lowest ever level." Rising waiting times and difficulties accessing GPs were highlighted as major concerns. "There are huge and unwarranted variations in the number of patients per GP, and shortages are particularly acute in deprived communities," he said. Lord Darzi described the state of A&E as "awful," noting that nearly 10% of patients wait 12 hours or more today.

Health secretary Wes Streeting has pledged to stabilise the community pharmacy system before enabling it to take on a broader role in healthcare, as he addressed the Health and Social Care Select Committee in Parliament on Wednesday (18 December). "Now that we have got the budget set, we will be consulting with Community Pharmacy England shortly in the New Year," Streeting stated. "I do want to reassure pharmacists across the country that we are taking into account the enormous pressures they are under when thinking about allocations so that we can stabilise the system and create the foundations from which to recover." The health secretary emphasised that his top priority is to "stabilise the [community pharmacy] system" before expanding initiatives such as Pharmacy First and independent prescribing. He also expressed a vision for community pharmacies to play "a bigger role… as part of the shift from hospital to community," but stressed that immediate steps are required to address the sector's current financial strain. The announcement that Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) negotiations will commence early in the New Year was reaffirmed by Streeting, echoing a statement made earlier in the week by minister for care Stephen Kinnock during a Westminster Hall debate.

At the Future of Britain Conference 2024, the newly appointed Secretary of Health and Social Care, (DHSC) Wes Streeting, stated that "Labour's DNA is in the NHS". He also called for a long-term approach to reform the broken health sector and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to steer the healthcare system towards sustainability and growth. Hosted by Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and My Life My Say today, Tuesday, 9, Streeting discussed the plans to fix the healthcare system and role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in "making the right choices" by bringing in three essential shifts in the healthcare. Criticising the previous Conservative administration for leaving "massive burning deck issues" due to constant reshuffling within the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Streeting lamented that this "instability" and "indecisions" have made comprehensive reform even more pressing. Drawing inspiration from Chancellor Rachel Reeves' speech on economic growth, Streeting stressed the interconnectedness of health and economic prosperity.

"Not possible for pharmacists to check whether prescriptions issued from overseas registered prescribers have been issued in a similarly safe and effective way," the new Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) Karin Smyth said during a recent parliamentary written response. At a recent session on Monday, July 29th, at the House of Commons, MP Cat Smith raised an important question directed at the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Smith, who represents Lancaster and Wyre, and has been an MP continually since 7 May 2015, inquired about whether the Department of Health and Social Care had conducted a comparative assessment of the UK's stance on prescribing puberty blockers for treating gender incongruence in comparison to other European countries. Responding to the questions, MP Karin Smyth emphasised on the significance of the Cass Review and described it as one of the most thorough examinations conducted across the globe on gender identity services for children and young people.

We're approaching that time of year where the sun is supposed to be shinning and things are supposed to quieten down over the summer holidays (note I said supposed to. . . well we have the sun at least). The elections are over, and a new party is in power. Wes Streeting is the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. He's met with GPs and Dentists and has great ambitions for Primary Care but when will he meet with community pharmacists? To be fair to Wes, he did visit a local pharmacy in his constituency, with CPNEL last year as Shadow Health Secretary (and was a guest speaker at the Pharmacy Business Awards 2023). He has also had meetings with NPA and CPE, so we know he understands the value of Community Pharmacy. The question is, do we as a sector and profession need to shout louder so that we aren't forgotten about, as healthcare plans are being drawn up? Community Pharmacy is a humble sector, not unlike most other HC sectors. The difference is that we often get forgotten. I have lost count of the times I've heard in meetings or conversations "Primary care and community pharmacy. . ." totally disregarding the fact that we are part of primary care.

The trade bodies and four largest pharmacy chains in England, have jointly written to the Secretary of State for Health, Steve Barclay, warning that the sector needs urgent investment for sustainability. The letter from AIMp, CCA, NPA, PSNC, Boots UK, Lloyds Pharmacy, Well, and Phoenix UK, warned that the 30 per cent real terms funding cuts that pharmacies have faced over the past seven years have left many businesses in a cashflow crisis. The letter said that the government is facing a choice over the future of the country's 11,000+ community pharmacies, with permanent closures likely and medicines supply at risk if no urgent action is taken. "If the funding situation is not addressed, the sector is likely to move rapidly towards many permanent closures of pharmacies." The organisations say that once these closures start, they will be hard to stop, as the sector is now so fragile other pharmacies would struggle to pick up the slack.