The Department of Health today announced the areas of responsibility for its ministerial team, headed-up by new Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, MP for Kingston Upon Hull West and Hessle, in charge of the National Health Service and social care delivery and system reforms, finance and resources and strategic communications.

Dawn Primarolo, MP for Bristol South, is the new Minister of State for Public Health. Her responsibilities include medicines, research and development, the pharmaceuticals industry, national health improvement programmes and health inequalities, amongst other things. She also takes on the West Midlands and South East Coast strategic health authorities.

Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter, is the new Minister of State for Health Services, and will look after: finance, including a spending review, resource allocation and financial policy and NHS financial management; policy and strategy including provider policy and payment by results; implementation of the 18 week patient pathway; workforce capacity; commissioning; Connecting for Health/NHS IT; urgent Care and emergency care; primary care; and the London and South West SHAs.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health Services is Ann Keen, MP for Brentford and Isleworth, and her responsibilities include: healthcare quality, patient safety, national clinical directors and programmes; dentistry and fluoridation; workforce employment models and contracts; and the Yorkshire & the Humber, North East and North West SHAs.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Care Services is Ivan Lewis, MP for Bury South, and his duties include: social care, local government and care partnerships, the DH's relationship with local government; mental health; prison/offender health; allied health professionals; end of life care; and East of England, South Central and East Midlands SHAs.

Lord Ara Darzi is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, and will be conducting the NHS Next Stage review, results of which are to be presented to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Health Secretary before the NHS’ 60 birthday in July next year.