Two ministers of state have been appointed to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) as Prime Minister Andy Burnham completes the early stages of forming his government.
Appointments and context
The Right Honourable Diana Johnson DBE MP and Alison McGovern MP were named to DHSC on 21 and 22 July respectively, following the elevation of Yvette Cooper MP to the role of health secretary on 20 July. The moves form part of a broader reshuffle in which the former Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock MP, became Secretary of State for Wales.
Roles not yet specified
The department has not publicly detailed the specific ministerial briefings Johnson and McGovern will undertake within DHSC. Officials and observers are awaiting confirmation of which minister will assume responsibility for primary care, a portfolio previously handled by Stephen Kinnock.
"Employers play a vital role in our shared goal of getting more blind and partially sighted people into employment."
The quotation above was given by Diana Johnson at the one-year anniversary of a report from the All‑Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment. That inquiry — titled Changing attitudes, changing lives — examined employer attitudes to the employment of blind and partially sighted people; Alison McGovern engaged with the inquiry earlier, during her time as employment minister.
Previous positions and related work
Immediately before these appointments, Johnson and McGovern served in other government departments: Johnson in the Department for Work and Pensions and McGovern at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. McGovern previously worked with the APPG on Eye Health and Visual Impairment and spoke at the report’s launch in October 2024 of her commitment to improving employment outcomes for disabled people.
- Appointment dates: Diana Johnson (21 July); Alison McGovern (22 July).
- Health secretary: Yvette Cooper appointed 20 July.
- Previous holder of primary care brief: Stephen Kinnock (now Secretary of State for Wales).
The DHSC has been asked to confirm ministerial responsibilities, including who will take on primary care duties, but had not supplied those details at the time of publication.
What this means for health policy
Ministerial changes at the DHSC occur against a backdrop of immediate attention to departmental leadership and continuity of services. Until portfolios are confirmed, it will not be clear which parliamentary priorities each minister will lead on — for example, primary care, social care commissioning, or disability employment initiatives that intersect with health policy. The prior involvement of both appointees in employment and housing portfolios, and their engagement with disability employment inquiries, may inform their approach within DHSC.
| Person | Appointment date | Previous department |
|---|---|---|
| Diana Johnson DBE MP | 21 July | Department for Work and Pensions |
| Alison McGovern MP | 22 July | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government |
| Yvette Cooper MP | 20 July | Appointed Health Secretary |
Further announcements from DHSC are expected to clarify ministerial portfolios and responsibilities. Until then, stakeholders in primary care, social care and disability employment policy will be watching to see how the new ministers’ prior experience translates into departmental priorities.
