View source for Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

{{Short description|Member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom}}  
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}  
{{Infobox official post  
| post                = [[United Kingdom]]<br> Secretary of State<br />for Health and Social Care  
| insignia            = Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg
| insigniacaption     = [[Royal Arms]] of [[His Majesty's Government]]  
| image               = Wes Streeting Official Cabinet Portrait, July 2024 (cropped).jpg  
| incumbent           = [[Wes Streeting]]  
| incumbentsince      = 5 July 2024  
| department          = [[Department of Health and Social Care]]  
| style               = {{ubl|'''Health Secretary''' (informal)|[[The Right Honourable]] (within the UK and Commonwealth)}}  
| type                = [[Minister of the Crown]]  
| status              = [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|Secretary of State]]  
| member_of           = {{ubl|[[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]]|[[Privy Council (United Kingdom)|Privy Council]]}}  
| reports_to          = [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|The Prime Minister]]  
| seat                = [[Westminster]]  
| nominator           = The Prime Minister  
| appointer           = [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|The Monarch]]  
| appointer_qualified =  (on the advice of the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]) 
| termlength          = [[At His Majesty's pleasure]]  
| formation           = {{ubl|14 October 1854: (as President of the Board of Health)|8 January 2018: (as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care)}}  
| salary              = £159,038 per annum (2022)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Salaries of Members of His Majesty's Government – Financial Year 2022–23 |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1124173/2022-12-07-Ministerial-Salaries-22-23-table.pdf |date=15 December 2022}}</ref><br />(including £86,584 [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] salary)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pay and expenses for MPs |url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/pay-mps/ |access-date=15 December 2022 |website=parliament.uk}}</ref>  
| first               = [[Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover|Benjamin Hall]] (as President of the Board of Health)
| website             = {{Official URL}}  
}}  
{{PoliticsUK}}  

The '''secretary of state for health and social care''', also referred to as the '''health secretary''', is a [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|secretary of state]] in the [[Government of the United Kingdom]], responsible for the work of the [[Department of Health and Social Care]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Secretary of State for Health and Social Care|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-health-and-social-care|access-date=29 June 2021|website=[[gov.uk]]}}</ref> The incumbent is a member of the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom]].  

Since [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolution]] in 1999, the position holder's responsibility for the NHS is mainly restricted to the [[National Health Service (England)|health service in England]], whilst the [[Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Scotland)|Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in the Scottish Government]] is responsible for [[NHS Scotland]] and the [[Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Wales)|Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in the Welsh Government]] is responsible for [[NHS Wales]]. The position can trace its roots back to the nineteenth century, and has been a secretary of state position since 1968. For 30 years, from 1988 to 2018, the position was titled '''Secretary of State for Health''', before [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Theresa May]] added "and Social Care" to the designation in the [[2018 British cabinet reshuffle]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-hunt-heath-secretary-social-care-nhs-winter-crisis-cabinet-reshuffle-theresa-may-brexit-conservatives-a8148331.html |title=Jeremy Hunt keeps Health Secretary with added social care brief despite overseeing NHS 'winter crisis' |work=The Independent |access-date=5 April 2021 |date=8 January 2018 |quote=Jeremy Hunt has kept his job as Health Secretary, despite overseeing what is widely viewed as a winter crisis in the NHS. However, Theresa May has added social care to his responsibilities, to signal her determination to sort out one of the biggest issues facing the country.}}</ref>  

The officeholder works alongside other [[Department of Health and Social Care#Ministers|health and social care ministers]]. The corresponding [[shadow minister]] is the [[Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care|shadow secretary of state for health and social care]], and the secretary of state is also scrutinised by the [[Health and Social Care Select Committee]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/81/health-and-social-care-committee/news/155634/health-secretary-answers-questions-on-the-governments-handling-of-the-pandemic/ |title=Health Secretary answers questions on the Government's handling of the pandemic |work=UK PARLIAMENT |date=4 June 2021 |access-date=12 March 2022 |quote=Matt Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, answers questions from MPs on the Government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.}}</ref>  

The position is currently held by [[Wes Streeting]], who has served since 5 July 2024.

==Responsibilities==
Corresponding to what is generally known as a [[health minister]] in many other countries, the health secretary's remit includes the following:

* Oversight of England's [[National Health Service]], including:
** Delivery of care
** Performance
** Fiscal consolidation
** Financial management<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-health-and-social-care|title=Secretary of State for Health and Social Care – GOV.UK|website=gov.uk}}</ref>
* Matters concerning England's [[social care]] policy (although responsibility is shared with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding adult social care, and the Department for Education concerning children's social care).
* Matters concerning England's national public health.
* Relations with international health partnerships, including the [[WHO]].

==History==
The first Boards of Health were created by Orders in the [[Privy Council (United Kingdom)|Council]] dated 21 June, 14 November, and 21 November 1831. In 1848, a General Board of Health was established with lay members in leadership roles<ref>{{Cite web|title=4 Dec 1848, 5 - The Observer at Newspapers.com|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/258974126/|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}}</ref> and the [[first commissioner of woods and forests]] as its president. In 1854, this board was reconstituted, and the president was appointed separately. However, the board was abolished in 1858, and its function of overseeing local boards was transferred to a new Local Government Act Office within the Home Office. From 1871, that function was transferred to the new [[Local Government Board]].{{cn|date=March 2023}}

The Ministry of Health was created by the [[Ministry of Health Act 1919]] as a reconstruction of the Local Government Board. Local government functions were eventually transferred to the [[Minister of Housing and Local Government|minister of housing and local government]], leaving the Health Ministry in charge of health matters.

From 1968, it was amalgamated with the Ministry of Social Security under the [[Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|secretary of state for social services]], until the de-merger of the [[Department of Health and Social Security]] on 25 July 1988.

Since [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolution]] in 1999, the position holder's responsibility for the NHS is mainly restricted to the [[National Health Service (England)|health service in England]], while the holders' counterparts in Scotland and Wales are responsible for the NHS in [[NHS Scotland|Scotland]] and [[NHS Wales|Wales]]. Prior to devolution, the [[secretaries of state for Scotland]] and [[Secretary of State for Wales|Wales]] had those respective responsibilities, but the [[Department of Health and Social Care (United Kingdom)|Department of Health]] played a larger role than it does now in the coordination of health policy across Great Britain. Health services in [[Northern Ireland]] have always had separate arrangements from the rest of the UK and are currently the responsibility of the health minister in the [[Northern Ireland Executive]].

A small number of health issues remain [[Reserved and excepted matters|reserved matters]], meaning they are not devolved.

According to [[Jeremy Hunt]], the department receives more letters than any other government department, and there are 50 officials in the correspondence unit.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hunt |first1=Jeremy |title=Zero |date=2022 |publisher=Swift Press |location=London |isbn=9781800751224 |page=14 }}</ref>

==List of ministers==

'''Colour key''' (for political parties):<br />
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}| [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Radicals (UK)}}| [[Radicals (UK)|Radical]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Peelite}}| [[Peelite]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|Scottish Unionist Party}}| [[Unionist Party (Scotland)|Unionist]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|National Labour Organisation}}| [[National Labour Organisation|National Labour]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{Legend2|{{Party color|National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)}}| [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|National Liberal]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
===President of the Board of Health (1848–1858)===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=3 | President of the Board
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Political party
! colspan=2 | Prime Minister
|-
! colspan=6 | {{Small|''As [[First Commissioner of Woods and Forests]]''}}
| rowspan=5 style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}" |
| rowspan=5 | [[Lord John Russell]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}" |
| [[File:7th Earl of Carlisle-edit.jpg|60px]]
| [[George Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle|The Earl of Carlisle]]
| 1848
| 17 April 1849
| [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}" |
| [[File:12th Duke of Somerset.png|60px]]
| [[Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset|Lord Seymour]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)|Totnes]]}}
| 17 April 1849
| 1 August 1851
| [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]]
|-
! colspan=6 | {{Small|''As [[First Commissioner of Works]]''}}

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}" |
| [[File:12th Duke of Somerset.png|60px]]
| [[Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset|Lord Seymour]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)|Totnes]]}}
| 1 August 1851
| 21 February 1852
| [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Lord John Manners.jpg|60px]]
| [[Lord John Manners]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)|Colchester]]}}
| 4 March 1852
| 17 December 1852
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[The Earl of Derby]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Radicals (UK)}}" |
| [[File:WilliamMolesworth.jpg|60px]]
| [[Sir William Molesworth, 8th Baronet|William Molesworth]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Southwark (UK Parliament constituency)|Southwark]]}}
| 5 January 1853
| 14 October 1854
| [[Radicals (UK)|Radical]]
| rowspan=3 style="background-color:{{Party color|Peelite}}" |
| rowspan=3 | [[The Earl of Aberdeen]]<br />{{Small|([[Aberdeen ministry|Coalition]])}}
|-
! colspan=6 | {{Small|''President of the Board of Health''}}

|- style="height:1em"
! height=30 style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Sir Benjamin Hall, Bt.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover|Benjamin Hall]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Marylebone (UK Parliament constituency)|Marylebone]]}}
| rowspan=2 | 14 October 1854
| rowspan=2 | 13 August 1855
| rowspan=2 | [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan=4 style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}" |
| rowspan=4 | [[The Viscount Palmerston]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}" |
| [[File:William Cowper-Temple, Lock & Whitfield woodburytype, 1876-85.jpg|60px]]
| [[William Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple|William Cowper]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Hertford (UK Parliament constituency)|Hertford]]}}
| 13 August 1855
| 9 February 1857
| [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}" |
| [[File:William Monsell, Lord Emly.jpg|60px]]
| [[William Monsell]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[County Limerick (UK Parliament constituency)|County Limerick]]}}
| 9 February 1857
| 24 September 1857
| [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Whig (British political party)}}" |
| [[File:William Cowper-Temple, Lock & Whitfield woodburytype, 1876-85.jpg|60px]]
| [[William Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple|William Cowper]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Hertford (UK Parliament constituency)|Hertford]]}}
| 24 September 1857
| 21 February 1858
| [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Charles Bowyer Adderley, Lord Norton.jpg|60px]]
| [[Charles Adderley, 1st Baron Norton|Charles Adderley]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Staffordshire Northern]]}}
| 8 March 1858
| 1 September 1858
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[The Earl of Derby]]
|-
| colspan=8 style="width:10px" | ''Board of Health abolished in 1858; responsibilities transferred to<br />the Privy Council (1858–1871), then the Local Government Board (1871–1919).''
|}

===Minister of Health (1919–1968)===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Minister
! colspan="2" | Term of office
! Political party
!Ministry
|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Dr. Christopher Addison LOC 16027831872 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| [[Christopher Addison]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Shoreditch (UK Parliament constituency)|Shoreditch]]}}
| 24 June 1919
| 1 April 1921
| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}|[[Lloyd George ministry|Lloyd George II]]
|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Alfred Mond.jpg|60px]]
| [[Alfred Mond]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Swansea West (UK Parliament constituency)|Swansea West]]}}
| 1 April 1921
| 19 October 1922
| [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Arthur Griffith-Boscawen Westminster1899.jpg|60px]]
| [[Arthur Griffith-Boscawen]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Taunton (UK Parliament constituency)|Taunton]]}}
| 24 October 1922
| 7 March 1923<br />{{Small|(Lost seat [[1922 United Kingdom general election|1922]])}}
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Law ministry (United Kingdom)|Law]]
|- style="height:1em"
! height="30" style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Chamberlain Neville.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Neville Chamberlain]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Birmingham Ladywood]]}}
| rowspan="2" | 7 March 1923
| rowspan="2" | 27 August 1923
| rowspan="2" | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Conservative government, 1922–1924|Baldwin I]]
|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:1st Viscount Brentford 1923.jpg|60px]]
| [[William Joynson-Hicks]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Twickenham (UK Parliament constituency)|Twickenham]]}}
| 27 August 1923
| 22 January 1924
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:John Wheatley MP.jpg|60px]]
| [[John Wheatley]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Glasgow Shettleston (UK Parliament constituency)|Glasgow Shettleston]]}}
| 22 January 1924
| 3 November 1924
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|{{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[First MacDonald ministry|MacDonald I]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Chamberlain Neville.jpg|60px]]
| [[Neville Chamberlain]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Birmingham Ladywood]]<BR>then [[Birmingham Edgbaston]]}}
| 6 November 1924
| 4 June 1929
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|{{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Second Baldwin ministry|Baldwin II]]
|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:ArthurHGreenwood.jpg|60px]]
| [[Arthur Greenwood]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Nelson and Colne]]}}
| 7 June 1929
| 24 August 1931
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|{{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Second MacDonald ministry|Macdonald II]]
|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Chamberlain Neville.jpg|60px]]
| [[Neville Chamberlain]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Birmingham Edgbaston]]}}
| 25 August 1931
| 5 November 1931
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|{{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}|[[First National ministry|National I]]
|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Edward Hilton Young.jpg|60px]]
| [[Hilton Young]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Sevenoaks (UK Parliament constituency)|Sevenoaks]]}}
| 5 November 1931
| 7 June 1935
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|{{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}|[[National Government (1931–1935)|National II]]
|- style="height:1em"
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Kingsley Wood cropped.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Kingsley Wood]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Woolwich West (UK Parliament constituency)|Woolwich West]]}}
| rowspan="2" | 7 June 1935
| rowspan="2" | 16 May 1938
| rowspan="2" | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|{{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}|[[National Government (1935–1937)|National III]]
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}|[[National Government (1937–1939)|National IV]]
|- style="height:1em"
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{Party color|Scottish Unionist Party}}" |
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Walter Elliott MP.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Walter Elliot (Scottish politician)|Walter Elliot]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Glasgow Kelvingrove (UK Parliament constituency)|Glasgow Kelvingrove]]}}
| rowspan="2" | 16 May 1938
| rowspan="2" | 13 May 1940
| rowspan="2" | [[Unionist Party (Scotland)|Unionist]]
|-
|{{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}|[[Chamberlain war ministry|Chamberlain War]]
|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|National Labour Organisation}}" |
| [[File:Malcolmmacdonald.jpg|60px]]
| [[Malcolm MacDonald]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Ross and Cromarty (UK Parliament constituency)|Ross and Cromarty]]}}
| 13 May 1940
| 8 February 1941
| [[National Labour Organisation|National Labour]]
| rowspan="3" {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}|[[Churchill war ministry|Churchill War]]
|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)}}" |
| [[File:BrownErnest.jpg|60px]]
| [[Ernest Brown (British politician)|Ernest Brown]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Leith (UK Parliament constituency)|Leith]]}}
| 8 February 1941
| 11 November 1943
| [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|National Liberal]]

|- style="height:1em"
! rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Henry Willink.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Henry Willink]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Croydon North (UK Parliament constituency)|Croydon North]]}}
| rowspan="2" | 11 November 1943
| rowspan="2" | 26 July 1945
| rowspan="2" | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
|{{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}|[[Churchill caretaker ministry|Churchill Caretaker]]
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Aneurin Bevan (crop).jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Aneurin Bevan]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Ebbw Vale (UK Parliament constituency)|Ebbw Vale]]}}
| rowspan="2" | 3 August 1945
| rowspan="2" | 17 January 1951
| rowspan="2" | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|{{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Attlee ministry|Attlee I]]
|-
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Attlee ministry|Attlee II]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Hilary Marquand.png|60px]]
| [[Hilary Marquand]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Middlesbrough East]]}}
| 17 January 1951
| 26 October 1951
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Harrycrookshank.jpg|60px]]
| [[Harry Crookshank]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency)|Gainsborough]]}}
| 30 October 1951
| 7 May 1952
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Third Churchill ministry|Churchill III]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan="2" | [[File:The National Archives UK - CO 1069-166-17 Macleod crop.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Iain Macleod]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Enfield West]]}}
| rowspan="2" | 7 May 1952
| rowspan="2" | 20 December 1955
| rowspan="2" | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Eden ministry|Eden]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| [[Robin Turton]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Thirsk and Malton]]}}
| 20 December 1955
| 16 January 1957
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| [[Dennis Vosper]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Runcorn (UK Parliament constituency)|Runcorn]]}}
| 16 January 1957
| 17 September 1957
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Conservative government, 1957–1964|Macmillan I]]
|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan="2" |[[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Derek Walker-Smith]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[East Hertfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)|East Hertfordshire]]}}
| rowspan="2" |17 September 1957
| rowspan="2" |27 July 1960
| rowspan="2" |[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
| rowspan="2" {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Conservative government, 1957–1964|Macmillan II]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Enoch Powell Allan Warren.jpg|60px]]
| [[Enoch Powell]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Wolverhampton South West]]}}
| 27 July 1960
| 20 October 1963
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| [[Anthony Barber]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Doncaster (UK Parliament constituency)|Doncaster]] then [[Altrincham and Sale]]}}
| 20 October 1963
| 16 October 1964
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|{{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Douglas-Home administration|Douglas-Home]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:No image.svg|60px]]
| [[Kenneth Robinson (British politician)|Kenneth Robinson]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[St. Pancras North]]}}
| 18 October 1964
| 1 November 1968
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|{{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Labour government, 1964–1970|Wilson I]]
|-
| colspan="7" style="width:10px" | ''Post merged with Ministry for Social Security in 1968.''
|}

===Secretary of State for Social Services (1968–1988)===
{{main|Secretary of State for Social Services}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=3 | Secretary of State
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Political party
! colspan=2 | Ministry

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Crossland MP.jpg|60px]]
| [[Richard Crossman]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Coventry East]]}}
| 1 November 1968
| 19 June 1970
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|{{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Second Wilson ministry|Wilson II]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|
| [[Keith Joseph]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Leeds North East]]}}
| 20 June 1970
| 4 March 1974
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Heath ministry|Heath]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Barbara Castle, 1965 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| [[Barbara Castle]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)|Blackburn]]}}
| 5 March 1974
| 8 April 1976
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Third Wilson ministry|Wilson III]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:David Ennals.jpg|60px]]
| [[David Ennals]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Norwich North]]}}
| 8 April 1976
| 4 May 1979
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Callaghan ministry|Callaghan]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|
| [[Patrick Jenkin]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Wanstead and Woodford (UK Parliament constituency)|Wanstead and Woodford]]}}
| 5 May 1979
| 14 September 1981
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[First Thatcher ministry|Thatcher I]]

|- style="height:1em"
! rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Official portrait of Lord Fowler crop 2.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Norman Fowler]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Sutton Coldfield (UK Parliament constituency)|Sutton Coldfield]]}}
| rowspan=2 | 14 September 1981
| rowspan=2 | 13 June 1987
| rowspan=2 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Second Thatcher ministry|Thatcher II]]

|- style="height:1em"
! style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Mr John Moore M.P. addressing the Annual LSE Society Dinner, 5th June, 1985.jpg|60px]]
| [[John Moore, Baron Moore of Lower Marsh|John Moore]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Croydon Central]]}}
| 13 June 1987
| 25 July 1988
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Third Thatcher ministry|Thatcher III]]
|-
| colspan=8 style="width:10px" | ''Post split into [[Secretary of State for Social Security]] and Secretary of State for Health in 1988.''
|}

===Secretary of State for Health (1988–2018)===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=3 | Secretary of State
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Political party
! Ministry

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Kenneth Clarke (cropped).gif|80x80px]]
| [[Kenneth Clarke]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Rushcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)|Rushcliffe]]}}
| 25 July 1988
| 2 November 1990
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Third Thatcher ministry|Thatcher III]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:William Waldegrave.gif|85x85px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[William Waldegrave, Baron Waldegrave of North Hill|William Waldegrave]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Bristol West]]}}
| rowspan=2 | 2 November 1990
| rowspan=2 | 10 April 1992
| rowspan=2 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray" |
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[First Major ministry|Major I]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Virginia Bottomley crop (cropped).jpg|80x80px]]
| [[Virginia Bottomley]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[South West Surrey]]}}
| 10 April 1992
| 5 July 1995
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Second Major ministry|Major II]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Stephen Dorrell 2011 (cropped).jpg|79x79px]]
| [[Stephen Dorrell]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Loughborough (UK Parliament constituency)|Loughborough]] then [[Charnwood (UK Parliament constituency)|Charnwood]]}}
| 5 July 1995
| 2 May 1997
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Frank Dobson, Secretary of State for Health (cropped).jpg|79x79px]]
| [[Frank Dobson]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Holborn and St. Pancras]]}}
| 3 May 1997
| 11 October 1999
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[First Blair ministry|Blair I]]

|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Alan Milburn 2014.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Alan Milburn]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Darlington (UK Parliament constituency)|Darlington]]}}
| rowspan=2 | 11 October 1999
| rowspan=2 | 13 June 2003
| rowspan=2 | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|-
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Second Blair ministry|Blair II]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:JohnReidHeadshot.jpg|72x72px]]
| [[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan|John Reid]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Hamilton North and Bellshill (UK Parliament constituency)|Hamilton North and Bellshill]] then [[Airdrie and Shotts (UK Parliament constituency)|Airdrie and Shotts]]}}
| 13 June 2003
| 6 May 2005
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Patricia Hewitt.jpg|60px]]
| [[Patricia Hewitt]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Leicester West]]}}
| 6 May 2005
| 28 June 2007
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}|[[Third Blair ministry|Blair III]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Alan Johnson -9Oct2007-2.jpg|77x77px]]
| [[Alan Johnson]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle]]}}
| 28 June 2007
| 5 June 2009
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}| [[Brown ministry|Brown]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Andy Burnham2.jpg|60px]]
| [[Andy Burnham]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)|Leigh]]}}
| 5 June 2009
| 11 May 2010
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]

|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Andrew Lansley Official.jpg|90x90px]]
| [[Andrew Lansley]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[South Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|South Cambridgeshire]]}}
| 11 May 2010
| [[2012 British cabinet reshuffle|4 September 2012]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}}| [[Cameron–Clegg]]<br/>{{Small|(''[[Conservative Party (UK)|Con.]]–[[Liberal Democrats (UK)|L.D.]]'')}}

|- style="height:1em"
| rowspan=5 style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=5 | [[File:Jeremy Hunt and Dr Mark Davies visiting the Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health, 700 Second St, Washington, USA-3June2013 (cropped).jpg|80x80px]]
| rowspan=5 | [[Jeremy Hunt]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[South West Surrey]]}}
| rowspan=5 | [[2012 British cabinet reshuffle|4 September 2012]]
| rowspan=5 | [[2018 British cabinet reshuffle|8 January 2018]]
| rowspan=5 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]

|- style="height:1em"
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Cameron II]]

|- style="height:1em"
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[First May ministry|May I]]

|- style="height:1em"
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Second May ministry|May II]]
|}
===Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (2018–present)===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=3 | Secretary of State
! colspan=2 | Term of office
! Political party
!Ministry
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Jeremy Hunt with Abdulla bin Zayed Al Nahyan in London - 2018 (29653209427) (cropped).jpg|80x80px]]
| [[Jeremy Hunt]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[South West Surrey]]}}
| [[2018 British cabinet reshuffle|8 January 2018]]
| [[Second May ministry#Changes 2|9 July 2018]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Second May ministry|May II]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan=3 | [[File:Official portrait of Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP crop 2.jpg|60px]]
| rowspan=3 | [[Matt Hancock]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[West Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency)|West Suffolk]]}}
| rowspan=3 | [[Second May ministry#Changes 2|9 July 2018]]
| rowspan=3 | [[Second Johnson ministry#Changes|26 June 2021]]
| rowspan=3 | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray" |
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[First Johnson ministry|Johnson I]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray" |
| rowspan=3 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Second Johnson ministry|Johnson II]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| [[File:Sajid Javid Official Portrait Cropped.jpeg|60px]]
| [[Sajid Javid]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Bromsgrove (UK Parliament constituency)|Bromsgrove]]}}
| [[Second Johnson ministry#Changes|26 June 2021]]
| [[July 2022 British cabinet reshuffle|5 July 2022]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| [[File:Steve Barclay Official Portrait Cropped.jpg|80x80px]]
| [[Steve Barclay]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[North East Cambridgeshire]]}}
| [[July 2022 British cabinet reshuffle|5 July 2022]]
|6 September 2022
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| [[File:Thérèse Coffey Official Cabinet Portrait, September 2022 (seated) (cropped).jpg|78x78px]]
| [[Thérèse Coffey]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Suffolk Coastal (UK Parliament constituency)|Suffolk Coastal]]}}
|6 September 2022
|25 October 2022
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}|[[Truss ministry|Truss]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| [[File:Steve Barclay Official Cabinet Portrait, October 2022 (cropped).jpg|80x80px]]
| [[Steve Barclay]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[North East Cambridgeshire]]}}
|25 October 2022
|[[November 2023 British cabinet reshuffle|13 November 2023]]
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}}| [[Sunak ministry|Sunak]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| [[File:Official portrait of Victoria Atkins MP crop 2, 2024.jpg|80x80px]]
| [[Victoria Atkins]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Louth and Horncastle]]}}
|[[November 2023 British cabinet reshuffle|13 November 2023]]
|5 July 2024
| [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|- style="height:1em"
| style="background-color:{{Party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |
| [[File:Wes Streeting Official Cabinet Portrait, July 2024 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| [[Wes Streeting]]<br />{{Small|MP for [[Ilford North]]}}
|5 July 2024
|Incumbent
| [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour Party (UK)}}| [[Starmer ministry|Starmer]]
|}

== Timeline ==
{{#tag:timeline|ImageSize=width:1100 height:auto barincrement:13
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
AlignBars  = late
PlotArea   = width:85% left:10 top:10 bottom:80
Legend     = columns:1 left:120 top:50 columnwidth:175

Define $today = {{#time:d/m/Y}}

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/01/1919 till:31/12/{{#time:Y|+1 year}}
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal

Colors     =
 id:liberal      value:rgb(1,0.84,0)         legend: Liberal_Party
 id:conservative value:rgb(0,0.53,0.86)      legend: Conservative_and_Unionist_Party
 id:labour       value:rgb(0.86,0.08,0.18)   legend: Labour_Party
 id:unionist     value:rgb(0.333,0.333,1)    legend: Unionist_Party
 id:natlabour    value:rgb(0,0.5,0)          legend: National_Labour_Party
 id:natliberal   value:rgb(0.3,0.73,0.96)    legend: National_Liberal_Party
 id:independent  value:rgb(0.6,0.6,0.6)      legend: Independent_or_no_party
 id:liteline     value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
 id:line         value:rgb(0.8,0.8,0.8)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line     unit:year increment:10 start:1920
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:liteline unit:year increment:2  start:1920

TextData =
  pos:(20,55) textcolor:black fontsize:M
  text:"Political parties:"

BarData = 
 bar:Addison
 bar:Mond
 bar:Griffith-Boscawen
 bar:Chamberlain
 bar:Joynson-Hicks
 bar:Wheatley
 bar:Greenwood
 bar:Young
 bar:Wood
 bar:Elliot
 bar:MacDonald
 bar:Brown
 bar:Willink
 bar:Bevan
 bar:Marquand
 bar:Crookshank
 bar:Macleod
 bar:Turton
 bar:Vosper
 bar:Walker-Smith
 bar:Powell
 bar:Barber
 bar:Robinson
 bar:Crossman
 bar:Joseph
 bar:Castle
 bar:Ennals
 bar:Jenkin
 bar:Fowler
 bar:Moore
 bar:Clarke
 bar:Waldergrave
 bar:Bottomley
 bar:Dorrell
 bar:Dobson
 bar:Milburn
 bar:Reid
 bar:Hewitt
 bar:Johnson
 bar:Burnham
 bar:Lansley
 bar:Hunt
 bar:Hancock
 bar:Javid
 bar:Barclay
 bar:Coffey
 bar:Atkins
 bar:Streeting

PlotData=
  width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
 
 bar:Addison
  from: 24/06/1919 till: 01/04/1921 color:Liberal      text:"[[Christopher Addison]]"
 bar:Mond
  from: 01/04/1921 till: 19/10/1922 color:Liberal      text:"[[Alfred Mond]]"
 bar:Griffith-Boscawen
  from: 24/10/1922 till: 07/03/1923 color:Conservative text:"[[Arthur Griffith-Boscawen]]"
 bar:Chamberlain
  from: 07/03/1923 till: 27/08/1923 color:Conservative
  from: 06/11/1924 till: 04/06/1929 color:Conservative
  from: 25/08/1931 till: 05/11/1931 color:Conservative text:"[[Neville Chamberlain]]"
 bar:Joynson-Hicks
  from: 27/08/1923 till: 22/01/1924 color:Conservative text:"[[William Joynson-Hicks]]"
 bar:Wheatley
  from: 22/01/1924 till: 03/11/1924 color:Labour       text:"[[John Wheatley]]"
 bar:Greenwood
  from: 07/06/1929 till: 24/08/1931 color:Labour       text:"[[Arthur Greenwood]]"
 bar:Young
  from: 05/11/1931 till: 07/06/1935 color:Conservative text:"[[Hilton Young]]"
 bar:Wood
  from: 07/06/1935 till: 16/05/1938 color:Conservative text:"[[Kingsley Wood]]"
 bar:Elliot
  from: 16/05/1938 till: 13/05/1940 color:Unionist     text:"[[Walter Elliot (Scottish politician)|Walter Elliot]]"
 bar:MacDonald
  from: 13/05/1940 till: 08/02/1941 color:NatLabour    text:"[[Malcom MacDonald]]"
 bar:Brown
  from: 08/02/1941 till: 11/11/1943 color:NatLiberal   text:"[[Ernest Brown (British politician)|Ernest Brown]]"
 bar:Willink
  from: 11/11/1943 till: 26/07/1945 color:Conservative text:"[[Henry Willink]]"
 bar:Bevan
  from: 03/08/1945 till: 17/01/1951 color:Labour       text:"[[Aneurin Bevan]]"
 bar:Marquand
  from: 17/01/1951 till: 26/10/1951 color:Labour       text:"[[Hilary Marquand]]"
 bar:Crookshank
  from: 30/10/1951 till: 07/05/1952 color:Conservative text:"[[Harry Crookshank]]"
 bar:Macleod
  from: 07/05/1952 till: 20/12/1955 color:Conservative text:"[[Iain Macleod]]"
 bar:Turton
  from: 20/12/1955 till: 16/01/1957 color:Conservative text:"[[Robin Turton]]"
 bar:Vosper
  from: 16/01/1957 till: 17/09/1957 color:Conservative text:"[[Dennis Vosper]]"
 bar:Walker-Smith
  from: 17/09/1957 till: 27/07/1960 color:Conservative text:"[[Derek Walker-Smith]]"
 bar:Powell
  from: 27/07/1960 till: 20/10/1963 color:Conservative text:"[[Enoch Powell]]"
 bar:Barber
  from: 20/10/1963 till: 16/10/1964 color:Conservative text:"[[Anthony Barber]]"
 bar:Robinson
  from: 18/10/1964 till: 01/11/1968 color:Labour       text:"[[Kenneth Robinson]]"
 bar:Crossman
  from: 01/11/1968 till: 19/06/1970 color:Labour       text:"[[Richard Crossman]]"
 bar:Joseph
  from: 20/06/1970 till: 04/03/1974 color:Conservative text:"[[Keith Joseph]]"
 bar:Castle
  from: 05/03/1974 till: 08/04/1976 color:Labour       text:"[[Barbara Castle]]"
 bar:Ennals
  from: 08/04/1976 till: 04/05/1979 color:Labour       text:"[[David Ennals]]"
 bar:Jenkin
  from: 04/05/1979 till: 14/09/1981 color:Conservative text:"[[Patrick Jenkin]]"
 bar:Fowler
  from: 14/09/1981 till: 13/06/1987 color:Conservative text:"[[Norman Fowler]]"
 bar:Moore
  from: 13/06/1987 till: 25/07/1988 color:Conservative text:"[[John Moore, Baron Moore of Lower Marsh|John Moore]]"
 bar:Clarke
  from: 25/07/1988 till: 02/11/1990 color:Conservative text:"[[Kenneth Clarke]]"
 bar:Waldergrave
  from: 02/11/1990 till: 10/04/1992 color:Conservative text:"[[William Walegrave]]"
 bar:Bottomley
  from: 10/04/1992 till: 05/07/1995 color:Conservative text:"[[Virginia Bottomley]]"
 bar:Dorrell
  from: 05/07/1995 till: 02/05/1997 color:Conservative text:"[[Stephen Dorrell]]"
 bar:Dobson
  from: 03/05/1997 till: 11/10/1999 color:Labour       text:"[[Frank Dobson]]"
 bar:Milburn
  from: 11/10/1999 till: 13/06/2003 color:Labour       text:"[[Alan Milburn]]"
 bar:Reid 
  from: 13/06/2003 till: 06/05/2005 color:Labour       text:"[[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan|John Reid]]"
 bar:Hewitt
  from: 06/05/2005 till: 28/06/2007 color:Labour       text:"[[Patricia Hewitt]]"
 bar:Johnson
  from: 28/06/2007 till: 05/06/2009 color:Labour       text:"[[Alan Johnson]]"
 bar:Burnham
  from: 05/06/2009 till: 11/05/2010 color:Labour       text:"[[Andy Burnham]]"
 bar:Lansley
  from: 11/05/2010 till: 04/09/2012 color:Conservative text:"[[Andrew Lansley]]"
 bar:Hunt
  from: 04/09/2012 till: 09/07/2018 color:Conservative text:"[[Jeremy Hunt]]"
 bar:Hancock
  from: 09/07/2018 till: 26/06/2021 color:Conservative text:"[[Matt Hancock]]"
 bar:Javid
  from: 26/06/2021 till: 05/07/2022 color:Conservative text:"[[Sajid Javid]]"
 bar:Barclay
  from: 05/07/2022 till: 06/09/2022 color:Conservative 
  from: 25/10/2022 till: 13/11/2023 color:Conservative text:"[[Steve Barclay]]"
 bar:Coffey
  from: 06/09/2022 till: 25/10/2022 color:Conservative text:"[[Thérèse Coffey]]"
 bar:Atkins
  from: 13/11/2023 till: 05/07/2024 color:Conservative text:"[[Victoria Atkins]]"
 bar:Streeting
  from: 05/07/2024 till: $today     color:Labour       text:"[[Wes Streeting]]"
}}

== See also ==
* [[Health and Social Care minister]]
* [[Minister of Health]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Secretaries of State for Health of the United Kingdom}}
* {{Official website}}

{{Secretary of State for Health}}
{{Department of Health (United Kingdom)}}
{{Cabinet positions in the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Health in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Department of Health and Social Care]]
[[Category:Ministerial offices in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Secretaries of state for health (UK)| ]]
[[Category:Health ministers of the United Kingdom]]