Reshuffle – three ministers moved from Health
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- Published: Sunday, 17 July 2016 16:26
- Written by News Editor
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As part of Prime Minister Theresa May’s reshuffle three ministers have left the Department of Health, Alistair Burt MP responsible for GDS dentistry to backbenches, Jane Ellison MP (Public Health) to the Treasury and Ben Gummer MP (GDC) to the Cabinet Office. Philip Dunne (MP for Ludlow), Nicola Blackwood (MP for Oxford West and Abingdon) and David Mowat (MP for Warrington South) join the Department.
Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt MP, remains in post.
There were rumours on Twitter that the Department of Health would have one fewer minister, but those were unfounded. Two Ministers of state (Burt and Ellison) have left to be replaced, at present, by one (Dunne). Two Parliamentary Under Secretaries (Blackwood and Mowat) have been appointed. Lord Prior remains the health minister in the Lords. George Freeman MP, previously Minister for Life Sciences, shared with Department of Business, has left the Government and been appointed as Chair of the Prime Minister’s Policy Board.
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt will have to rearrange portfolios with his Department. Alistair Burt was responsible for primary care including dentistry and spoke at the BDA Conference in May. As such he oversaw the development of a new GDS contract. Jane Ellison was Public Health minister, as such responsible for dental public health and the forthcoming childhood obesity strategy. Ben Gummer had responsibility for regulation including the GDC. In the Coalition Government and frequently before dentistry came under the Lords minister.
When Jeremy Hunt kept his job, despite rumours to the contrary, BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said: “Continuity at the Department of Health means there’s no excuse for unfinished business on oral health.” Unfortunately his confidence may be misplaced.
Alister Burt removed from post re: dentistry
A great shame about Alistair Burt - he was just learning some of the key complexities about dentistry and it's major issues and was at least honest enough to SPEAK OUT HONESTLY at The BDA Conference and said we should lose our 'Tolerance' for such high numbers of children being admitted to hospital for preventable rotten teeth - a national tragedy indeed.So start again with someone new - how long will they last ???
Maybe it's time responsibility for Dentistry is removed from HMG's short-termism yo-yo politics!
Yours also observationally ,
Tony.
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