Minister of State for Social Care (UK)

The Minister of State for Social Care is a mid-level position in the Department of Health and Social Care in the British government.[1] It is held by Helen Whately MP who took office on 26 October 2022. The minister often deputises for the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care alongside the Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care. The minister is in charge of social care in England.[1]

United Kingdom
Minister of State for Social Care
Incumbent
Helen Whately
since 26 October 2022
Department of Health and Social Care
StyleMinister
NominatorPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
AppointerThe Monarch
on advice of the Prime Minister
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Websitehttps://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--143

History edit

The position was created in 2006, with Ivan Lewis being made Minister of State for Care Services.[2]

After the Conservative victory in the 2015 United Kingdom general election Alistair Burt returned to Government as Minister of State for Care and Support in the Department of Health. In July 2016, Burt announced that he would be resigning from his Ministerial position, "Twenty-four years and one month ago, I answered my first question as a junior minister in oral questions and I’ve just completed my last oral questions," Burt said. It was made clear that his resignation was not related to Brexit.[3]

The position was given to David Mowat and renamed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care and Support. David Mowat lost his Warrington South seat in the snap 2017 general election.[4] He was not replaced until 2018 when Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Caroline Dinenage as the new Minister of Care.[5] Dinenage stayed in her role when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister and served in the First Johnson ministry and into the Second Johnson ministry.

As part of the 2020 British cabinet reshuffle, a number of junior ministers were moved around. Dinenage was made the new Minister of State for Digital and Culture.[6] Helen Whately was her replacement.[7][8] Helen Whatley has been in charge of government response to social care during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom,[9] particularly in reference to vaccination deployment.[10]

Responsibilities edit

The Minister of State for Social Care leads on the following:[1]

  • adult social care:
    • winter planning for adult social care
    • funding and markets (charging reform)
    • quality (system reform)
    • workforce
  • integration, including discharge
  • community health services
  • major diseases:
    • cancer
    • diabetes
    • strokes
  • rare diseases
  • screening
  • dementia
  • end-of-life care
  • COVID-19 vaccine licensing
  • long-term conditions

Minister of State for Social Care edit

Name Portrait Took office Left office Political party Prime Minister
Minister of State for Care Services
Ivan Lewis

MP for Bury South

  15 May 2006 3 October 2008 Labour Tony Blair (2006–2007)
Gordon Brown (2007–2008)
Phil Hope

MP for Corby

  5 October 2008 11 May 2010 Labour Gordon Brown
Paul Burstow

MP for Sutton and Cheam

  11 May 2010 4 September 2012 Liberal Democrat David Cameron
Minister of State for Care and Support
Norman Lamb

MP for North Norfolk

  4 September 2012 8 May 2015 Liberal Democrat David Cameron
Minister of State for Community and Social Care
Alistair Burt

MP for North East Bedfordshire

  11 May 2015 15 July 2016 Conservative David Cameron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care and Support
David Mowat

MP for Warrington South

  14 July 2016 9 June 2017 Conservative Theresa May
Minister of State for Social Care
Caroline Dinenage

MP for Gosport

  9 January 2018 13 February 2020 Conservative Theresa May (2018–2019)
Boris Johnson (2019–2020)
Helen Whately

MP for Faversham and Mid Kent

  13 February 2020 16 September 2021 Conservative Boris Johnson
Minister of State for Care and Mental Health
Gillian Keegan

MP for Chichester

  16 September 2021 8 September 2022 Conservative Boris Johnson
Minister of State for Health
Robert Jenrick

MP for Newark

  7 September 2022 25 October 2022 Conservative Liz Truss
Minister of State for Social Care
Helen Whately

MP for Faversham and Mid Kent

  26 October 2022 Present Conservative Rishi Sunak

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Minister of State (Minister for Care)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  2. ^ Samuel, Mithran (29 July 2008). "Ivan Lewis challenges adult care sector to deliver". Community Care. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  3. ^ May, Josh (5 July 2016). "Alistair Burt announces resignation as Health Minister". PoliticsHome.com. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  4. ^ Coles, Amy (9 June 2017). "Warrington South won by Labour as Faisal Rashid snatches Tory seat". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Hft welcomes new Minister of State for Care". Politics Home. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  6. ^ Douglas, Alex (17 February 2020). "New Minister of Care appointed following cabinet reshuffle". Access and Mobility Professional. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  7. ^ "New jobs for Kent MPs in government reshuffle". Kent Online. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  8. ^ "New Minister of State for Care". Care Management Matters. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Too soon for families of vaccinated care home residents to visit loved ones, says Helen Whately". inews.co.uk. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  10. ^ "One in three care home workers turned down vaccine, JCVI boss tells MPs". LBC. Retrieved 24 February 2021.

See also edit