Patient safety brief upgraded in new DHSC team

Patient safety and public health have been upgraded to a ministerial responsibility, the Department of Health and Social Care has announced.

They will now be covered by a minister of state, Dame Diana Johnson, after previously being the responsibility of a junior minister, according to a list of responsibilities published today.

The Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham MP will also cover neighbourhood health, general practice and health inequalities.

In contrast, three responsibilities – dentistry, eyecare and men’s health – have been moved to more junior ministers.

Alison McGovern, who represents Birkenhead, has been appointed the minister for social care, where she will also cover hospital discharge, SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) and mental health. The latter was previously covered by junior minister Baroness Merron.

Andy Burnham has pledged to fix England’s “broken” social care system, asking Baroness Casey to bring forward an ongoing review.

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Source: HSJ, 10 August 2026