It’s all change at DHSC

Chris Whitehouse, a political consultant and expert on medical technology policy and regulation at Whitehouse Communications, chair of the Urology Trade Association, and governor of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre, updates readers on the prime minister’s latest ministerial reshuffle.

Politics is full of twists and turns, but hardly anyone would have predicted former prime minister David Cameron’s sensational return to frontline politics as part of Rishi Sunak’s latest reshuffle. Lord Cameron (as he will now be known) assumes the role of foreign secretary, replacing James Cleverly who will fill Braverman’s boots at the Home Office.

This switch-up deservedly stole the headlines, however there were other significant and substantial personnel changes at both senior and junior levels in government, including within the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). 

After just over a year at the helm, Steve Barclay moves from DHSC to the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), replacing Thérèse Coffey who has stepped down from government after nearly ten years. Replacing Barclay as secretary of state for Health and Social Care is Victoria Atkins, who is widely regarded as a rising talent of the Tory benches.

So, who is Ms Atkins, and can she step up at a time of immense pressure on the health service? 

Atkins might not have the eminence of her cabinet colleagues or direct experience like some of her predecessors, but she is regarded as a competent and understated figure by colleagues on both sides of the House. A trained barrister, Atkins has held several ministerial roles since 2017, having most recently worked by the chancellor’s side as financial secretary to the Treasury.

On a personal level, Atkins is a Type 1 diabetic, so she will be able to relate to the 4.7 million people in the UK who live with the chronic condition. Ironically, she is also married to Paul Kenward is a British businessman who is currently chief executive of ABF Sugar, one of the world's largest sugar companies which owns British Sugar. Expect to hear more about how she will confront this potential conflict of interest.

There is no denying that Atkins faces a daunting in-tray, with ongoing industrial action, a growing elective backlog, and staff shortages amongst some of the issues she will be tasked with resolving over the coming months. With no love lost between Barclay and prominent health and social care bodies, the reshuffle represents a real opportunity for Atkins to reset relations. Time is not on the government’s side, so progress must be made and must be made fast. 

The first test for Atkins will be bringing a permanent end to strike action amid fresh talks with the British Medical Association, which many have cautiously welcomed. Another imminent test will be whether she can answer the Royal College of Nursing’s calls for additional funding for the NHS in the Autumn Statement. 

Other significant ministerial moves include: 

• In DHSC, minister of state for Health and Secondary Care, Will Quince, and minister for Primary Care and Public Health, Neil O’Brien, have both resigned.  
• Andrew Stephenson has been appointed as a minister of state in DHSC. His specific brief has yet to be determined. 
• Dame Andrea Leadsom has been appointed as a parliamentary under secretary of state in DHSC. Her specific brief has yet to be determined. 
• In DSIT, George Freeman has resigned from the position of minister for Science, Research and Innovation. He has been replaced by Andrew Griffith, former economic secretary to the Treasury.
• At the time of writing, Lord Markham remains as the minister for the Lords, continuing to preside over NHS England sponsorship and NHS procurement.

Having spearheaded the department’s first ever Medical Technology Strategy, Quince’s resignation will be felt by the UK medtech sector. With further changes on the horizon for the sector, industry will be calling out for stability, and will hope that Quince’s successor shares his ambition to make the UK a global life sciences superpower.  

Rather than see this reshuffle as an inconvenience, industry should look to it as an opportunity to influence the direction of travel in the department. We are at a pivotal moment in politics, and the government will be counting on industry’s support now more than ever to ensure that they get the big calls right.