The shadow secretary of state for health and social care is an office within British politics held by a member of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition. The duty of the office holder is to scrutinise the actions of the government's secretary of state for health and social care and develop alternative policies. The office holder is a member of the Shadow Cabinet and appointed by the leader of the opposition.
It is currently held by Damian Hinds.
List of shadow secretaries
Shadow Minister for HealthName Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Ref Edith Summerskill 15 July 1955 November 1961 Labour GaitskellKenneth Robinson November 1961 16 October 1964Labour WilsonShadow Minister for Social ServicesName Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Ref Bernard Braine 16 October 1964 29 October 1964 ConservativeDouglas-Home Keith Joseph 29 October 1964 19 April 1966 Heath Mervyn Pike 19 April 1966 10 October 1967 Robert Lindsay 10 October 1967 1 November 1968Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social ServicesName Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Ref Robert Lindsay 1 November 1968 19 June 1970 ConservativeHeath Richard Crossman 19 June 1970 23 July 1970 Labour Wilson II Shirley Williams 23 July 1970 19 October 1971 Barbara Castle 19 October 1971 6 December 1972 John Silkin 6 December 1972 4 March 1974 Keith Joseph 4 March 1974 11 March 1974 ConservativeHeath II Geoffrey Howe 11 March 1974 18 February 1975 Norman Fowler 18 February 1975 19 November 1976Thatcher Patrick Jenkin 19 November 1976 4 May 1979 David Ennals 4 May 1979 14 June 1979 Labour Callaghan Stanley Orme 14 June 1979 8 December 1980 Gwyneth Dunwoody 8 December 1980 31 October 1983 Foot Michael Meacher 31 October 1983 13 July 1987 Kinnock Robin Cook 13 July 1987 25 July 1988Shadow Secretary of State for HealthName Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Ref Robin Cook 25 July 1988 18 July 1992 Labour Kinnock David Blunkett 18 July 1992 20 October 1994 Smith Beckett Margaret Beckett 20 October 1994 19 October 1995 Blair Harriet Harman 19 October 1995 1 July 1996 Chris Smith 1 July 1996 2 May 1997 Stephen Dorrell 2 May 1997 11 June 1997 ConservativeMajor John Maples 11 June 1997 1 June 1998Hague Ann Widdecombe 1 June 1998 13 January 1999 Liam Fox 13 January 1999 6 November 2003 Duncan Smith Tim Yeo 6 November 2003 19 June 2004Howard Andrew Lansley 19 June 2004 12 May 2010 Cameron Andy Burnham 12 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harman John Healey 8 October 2010 6 October 2011 Miliband Andy Burnham 7 October 2011 13 September 2015 Harman II Heidi Alexander 13 September 2015 26 June 2016 Corbyn Diane Abbott 27 June 2016 6 October 2016 Jonathan Ashworth 7 October 2016 8 January 2018Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social CareName Entered office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Ref Jonathan Ashworth 8 January 2018 29 November 2021 Labour Corbyn Starmer Wes Streeting 29 November 2021 5 July 2024 Victoria Atkins 8 July 2024 5 November 2024ConservativeSunak Ed Argar 5 November 2024 22 July 2025 Badenoch Stuart Andrew22 July 202531 August 2026 Damian Hinds31 August 2026incumbent
References