Secretary of State for Health and Social Care facts for kids
Quick facts for kids United KingdomSecretary of State for Health and Social Care |
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Department of Health and Social Care | |
Style | Health Secretary (informal) The Right Honourable (within the UK and Commonwealth) |
Member of | |
Reports to | The Prime Minister |
Seat | Westminster |
Nominator | The Prime Minister |
Appointer | The Monarch
(on the advice of the Prime Minister)
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Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure |
Formation |
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First holder | Benjamin Hall (as President of the Board of Health) |
Salary | £159,038 per annum (2022) (including £86,584 MP salary) |
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is a very important job in the UK government. People often call this person the Health Secretary. Their main role is to look after the Department of Health and Social Care, which handles health and social care across England. The person in this role is also a member of the Cabinet, a group of senior ministers who make big decisions for the country.
This job has a long history, going back to the 1800s. It became a "Secretary of State" role in 1968. For 30 years, from 1988 to 2018, it was just called the Secretary of State for Health. Then, Prime Minister Theresa May added "and Social Care" to the title in 2018.
The Health Secretary works with other ministers who also focus on health and social care. They are also watched closely by a special committee called the Health and Social Care Select Committee. The person currently holding this job is Wes Streeting, who started on 5 July 2024.
Contents
What Does the Health Secretary Do?
The Health Secretary is like the main health minister for England. Their job includes several key areas:
- Looking after the NHS in England: This means making sure people get the care they need. It also involves checking how well the NHS is doing and managing its money.
- Handling social care policy in England: This covers support for people who need help with daily life, like older people or those with disabilities. Other government departments also help with this.
- Dealing with public health issues: This includes things like preventing diseases and promoting healthy lifestyles across England.
- Working with international health groups: They represent the UK in global health partnerships, like the WHO.
How Did This Job Start?
The idea of a government role for health started a long time ago. In 1848, a "General Board of Health" was created. It was led by the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests. In 1854, a separate president was appointed for this board.
However, this board was closed down in 1858. Its duties were moved to a new office within the Home Office. Later, in 1871, these duties went to a new "Local Government Board."
The "Ministry of Health" was officially created in 1919. Over time, its focus became purely on health matters. In 1968, it joined with the Ministry of Social Security. They formed the "Secretary of State for Health and Social Services." But in 1988, these two parts split again.
Since 1999, when more power was given to Scotland and Wales, the Health Secretary's main responsibility for the NHS is for England. Scotland and Wales now have their own health ministers. Northern Ireland has always had its own health arrangements.
Who Has Been Health Secretary?
Many different people have held this important role over the years. Here is a list of some of the past leaders in health.
Colour key (for political parties):
Whig Conservative Radical Peelite Liberal Labour Unionist National Labour National Liberal
Past Leaders of Health (1848-1858)
President of the Board | Term of office | Political party | Prime Minister | ||||
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As First Commissioner of Woods and Forests | Lord John Russell | ||||||
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The Earl of Carlisle | 1848 | 17 April 1849 | Whig | |||
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Lord Seymour MP for Totnes |
17 April 1849 | 1 August 1851 | Whig | |||
As First Commissioner of Works | |||||||
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Lord Seymour MP for Totnes |
1 August 1851 | 21 February 1852 | Whig | |||
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Lord John Manners MP for Colchester |
4 March 1852 | 17 December 1852 | Conservative | The Earl of Derby | ||
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William Molesworth MP for Southwark |
5 January 1853 | 14 October 1854 | Radical | The Earl of Aberdeen (Coalition) |
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President of the Board of Health | |||||||
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Benjamin Hall MP for Marylebone |
14 October 1854 | 13 August 1855 | Whig | |||
The Viscount Palmerston | |||||||
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William Cowper MP for Hertford |
13 August 1855 | 9 February 1857 | Whig | |||
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William Monsell MP for County Limerick |
9 February 1857 | 24 September 1857 | Whig | |||
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William Cowper MP for Hertford |
24 September 1857 | 21 February 1858 | Whig | |||
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Charles Adderley MP for Staffordshire Northern |
8 March 1858 | 1 September 1858 | Conservative | The Earl of Derby | ||
The Board of Health was closed in 1858. Its duties were moved to other government departments. |
Health Ministers (1919-1968)
Minister | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | |||
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Christopher Addison MP for Shoreditch |
24 June 1919 | 1 April 1921 | Liberal | Lloyd George II | |
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Alfred Mond MP for Swansea West |
1 April 1921 | 19 October 1922 | Liberal | ||
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Arthur Griffith-Boscawen MP for Taunton |
24 October 1922 | 7 March 1923 (Lost seat 1922) |
Conservative | Law | |
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Neville Chamberlain MP for Birmingham Ladywood |
7 March 1923 | 27 August 1923 | Conservative | ||
Baldwin I | ||||||
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William Joynson-Hicks MP for Twickenham |
27 August 1923 | 22 January 1924 | Conservative | ||
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John Wheatley MP for Glasgow Shettleston |
22 January 1924 | 3 November 1924 | Labour | MacDonald I | |
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Neville Chamberlain MP for Birmingham Ladywood then Birmingham Edgbaston |
6 November 1924 | 4 June 1929 | Conservative | Baldwin II | |
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Arthur Greenwood MP for Nelson and Colne |
7 June 1929 | 24 August 1931 | Labour | Macdonald II | |
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Neville Chamberlain MP for Birmingham Edgbaston |
25 August 1931 | 5 November 1931 | Conservative | National I | |
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Hilton Young MP for Sevenoaks |
5 November 1931 | 7 June 1935 | Conservative | National II | |
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Kingsley Wood MP for Woolwich West |
7 June 1935 | 16 May 1938 | Conservative | National III | |
National IV | ||||||
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Walter Elliot MP for Glasgow Kelvingrove |
16 May 1938 | 13 May 1940 | Unionist | ||
Chamberlain War | ||||||
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Malcolm MacDonald MP for Ross and Cromarty |
13 May 1940 | 8 February 1941 | National Labour | Churchill War | |
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Ernest Brown MP for Leith |
8 February 1941 | 11 November 1943 | National Liberal | ||
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Henry Willink MP for Croydon North |
11 November 1943 | 26 July 1945 | Conservative | ||
Churchill Caretaker | ||||||
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Aneurin Bevan MP for Ebbw Vale |
3 August 1945 | 17 January 1951 | Labour | Attlee I | |
Attlee II | ||||||
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Hilary Marquand MP for Middlesbrough East |
17 January 1951 | 26 October 1951 | Labour | ||
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Harry Crookshank MP for Gainsborough |
30 October 1951 | 7 May 1952 | Conservative | Churchill III | |
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Iain Macleod MP for Enfield West |
7 May 1952 | 20 December 1955 | Conservative | ||
Eden | ||||||
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Robin Turton MP for Thirsk and Malton |
20 December 1955 | 16 January 1957 | Conservative | ||
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Dennis Vosper MP for Runcorn |
16 January 1957 | 17 September 1957 | Conservative | Macmillan I | |
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Derek Walker-Smith MP for East Hertfordshire |
17 September 1957 | 27 July 1960 | Conservative | ||
Macmillan II | ||||||
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Enoch Powell MP for Wolverhampton South West |
27 July 1960 | 20 October 1963 | Conservative | ||
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Anthony Barber MP for Doncaster then Altrincham and Sale |
20 October 1963 | 16 October 1964 | Conservative | Douglas-Home | |
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Kenneth Robinson MP for St. Pancras North |
18 October 1964 | 1 November 1968 | Labour | Wilson I | |
This job joined with the Ministry for Social Security in 1968. |
Health and Social Services Leaders (1968-1988)
Secretary of State | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | ||||
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Richard Crossman MP for Coventry East |
1 November 1968 | 19 June 1970 | Labour | Wilson II | ||
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Keith Joseph MP for Leeds North East |
20 June 1970 | 4 March 1974 | Conservative | Heath | ||
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Barbara Castle MP for Blackburn |
5 March 1974 | 8 April 1976 | Labour | Wilson III | ||
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David Ennals MP for Norwich North |
8 April 1976 | 4 May 1979 | Labour | Callaghan | ||
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Patrick Jenkin MP for Wanstead and Woodford |
5 May 1979 | 14 September 1981 | Conservative | Thatcher I | ||
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Norman Fowler MP for Sutton Coldfield |
14 September 1981 | 13 June 1987 | Conservative | |||
Thatcher II | |||||||
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John Moore MP for Croydon Central |
13 June 1987 | 25 July 1988 | Conservative | Thatcher III | ||
This job split into two separate roles in 1988: Secretary of State for Social Security and Secretary of State for Health. |
Health Secretaries (1988-2018)
Secretary of State | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | |||
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Kenneth Clarke MP for Rushcliffe |
25 July 1988 | 2 November 1990 | Conservative | Thatcher III | |
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William Waldegrave MP for Bristol West |
2 November 1990 | 10 April 1992 | Conservative | ||
Major I | ||||||
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Virginia Bottomley MP for South West Surrey |
10 April 1992 | 5 July 1995 | Conservative | Major II | |
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Stephen Dorrell MP for Loughborough then Charnwood |
5 July 1995 | 2 May 1997 | Conservative | ||
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Frank Dobson MP for Holborn and St. Pancras |
3 May 1997 | 11 October 1999 | Labour | Blair I | |
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Alan Milburn MP for Darlington |
11 October 1999 | 13 June 2003 | Labour | ||
Blair II | ||||||
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John Reid MP for Hamilton North and Bellshill then Airdrie and Shotts |
13 June 2003 | 6 May 2005 | Labour | ||
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Patricia Hewitt MP for Leicester West |
6 May 2005 | 28 June 2007 | Labour | Blair III | |
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Alan Johnson MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle |
28 June 2007 | 5 June 2009 | Labour | Brown | |
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Andy Burnham MP for Leigh |
5 June 2009 | 11 May 2010 | Labour | ||
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Andrew Lansley MP for South Cambridgeshire |
11 May 2010 | 4 September 2012 | Conservative | Cameron–Clegg (Con.–L.D.) |
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Jeremy Hunt MP for South West Surrey |
4 September 2012 | 8 January 2018 | Conservative | ||
Cameron II | ||||||
May I | ||||||
May II |
Health and Social Care Secretaries (2018-Present)
Secretary of State | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | |||
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Jeremy Hunt MP for South West Surrey |
8 January 2018 | 9 July 2018 | Conservative | May II | |
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Matt Hancock MP for West Suffolk |
9 July 2018 | 26 June 2021 | Conservative | ||
Johnson I | ||||||
Johnson II | ||||||
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Sajid Javid MP for Bromsgrove |
26 June 2021 | 5 July 2022 | Conservative | ||
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Steve Barclay MP for North East Cambridgeshire |
5 July 2022 | 6 September 2022 | Conservative | ||
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Thérèse Coffey MP for Suffolk Coastal |
6 September 2022 | 25 October 2022 | Conservative | Truss | |
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Steve Barclay MP for North East Cambridgeshire |
25 October 2022 | 13 November 2023 | Conservative | Sunak | |
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Victoria Atkins MP for Louth and Horncastle |
13 November 2023 | 5 July 2024 | Conservative | ||
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Wes Streeting MP for Ilford North |
5 July 2024 | Incumbent | Labour | Starmer |
Timeline of Health Secretaries
This timeline shows when different people held the role of Health Secretary or similar positions. It helps you see how long each person served.

More to Explore
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