|
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
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. 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 officeholder works alongside 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 Wes Streeting, who has served since 5 July 2024. ResponsibilitiesCorresponding to what is generally known as a health minister in many other countries, the health secretary's remit includes the following:
HistoryThe first Boards of Health were created by Orders in the Council dated 21 June, 14 November, and 21 November 1831. In 1848, a General Board of Health was established with lay members in leadership roles[7] and the first commissioner of woods and forests as its president. In 1854, this board was reconstituted, and the president was appointed separately. However, the board was abolished in 1858, and its function of overseeing 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 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 matters. From 1968, it was amalgamated with the Ministry of Social Security under the secretary of state for social services, until the 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, while the holders' counterparts in Scotland and Wales are 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 played a larger role than it does now in the coordination 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, meaning 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 ministersColour key (for political parties): President of the Board of Health (1848–1858)
Minister of Health (1919–1968)Secretary of State for Social Services (1968–1988)
Secretary of State for Health (1988–2018)Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (2018–present)
Timeline See alsoReferences
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Secretaries of State for Health of the United Kingdom. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg)
.jpg)
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
