Preet Kaur Gill has left the Department of Health and Social Care in the overhaul of government roles following the appointment of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, it has been announced.
She served as parliamentary under-secretary of state for health innovation and safety from May to July this year, taking responsibility as minister for medicines.
Speaking at the Medicines UK conference earlier this month, she welcomed the new partnership between the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and India’s regulator, the CDSCO, and the contribution of the agreement to medicines resilience.
In June, she praised women pharmacists for being the “lifeblood” of the community pharmacy workforce at a recent House of Lords event celebrating the contribution of women in pharmacy.
She is MP for Birmingham Edgbaston and the first female British Sikh member of parliament.
Taiwo Owatemi has also left government after serving as Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip). She is one of two MPs who are pharmacists by background.
She is a strong supporter of a wide range of pharmacy issues, having worked in the NHS as an oncology pharmacist before joining politics, and has been MP for Coventry North West since 2019.
Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg, the former pharmacy minister, has taken up the role of the Secretary of State for Wales.
James Murray, who served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care following the resignation of Wes Streeting, has been appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General.
New in the health department
Yvette Cooper MP, Secretary of State of Health and Social Care, has appointed several key positions in her team.
Dame Diana Johnson DBE joins as Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care. The MP for Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham was Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions and was previously in the Home Office.
Alison McGovern, MP for Birkenhead, joins as Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.
James Frith MP joins as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.
Karin Smyth MP remains Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.
Baroness Merron remains as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.
