CREDIT: This story was first seen in the Chronicle Live
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt kept his job after convincing Prime Minister Theresa May that he could sort out the chaos in the health service and social care, as the Prime Minister reshuffled her Cabinet.
The Chronicle Live reports that Mr Hunt will now be known as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, after apparently persuading Mrs May he had a plan to bring the two services closer together.
Local councils are currently responsible for care while health services are provided by the NHS, but politicians from all parties as well as health managers have been calling for a “joined up” service in which they work closely together.
Hospitals have found themselves unable to discharge patients because of a lack of care in the community, which councils blame on funding cuts.
Mr Hunt’s new role was welcomed by Northumberland MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan, MP for Berwick, who said on Twitter: “Excellent that Theresa May has pulled together health and social care into one department under Jeremy Hunt’s leadership.”
But the reshuffle was described as a shambles by some Westminster insiders after former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling was announced as the new Conservative Party chair – only for the decision to be reversed, with immigration minister Brandon Lewis getting the job instead.
The Grayling announcement was made on Twitter by the official account of the Conservative Party, with the Tweet swiftly deleted.
Mr Lewis replaces Sir Patrick McLoughlin, who is understood to have stood down as party chair voluntarily.
Mr Hunt was previously expected to move to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, replacing Business Secretary Greg Clark. But both Mr Hunt and Mr Clark reportedly refused to move, forcing the Prime Minister to revise her plans.
David Gauke moved from the Department for Work and Pensions, where he was responsible for the roll-out of Universal Credit, to become Secretary of State for Justice.
But former Education Secretary Justine Greening reportedly refused Mrs May’s request that she should take on the Work and Pensions role. She spent more than two hours locked in talks in Downing Street, before eventually resigning from the Government.
Ms Greening will be replaced as Education Secretary by Damian Hinds.
Sajid Javid stayed put as Local Government Secretary, but instead of leading the Department for Communities and Local Government he is now in charge of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
While housing had always been one of the department’s responsibilities, making the name change merely cosmetic, Mr Javid said it “reflects this Government’s renewed focus to deliver more homes”.
However, there was mystery over why the word “department” had been changed to “ministry”.
David Lidington was named Minister for the Cabinet Office, replacing Damian Green who resigned last year. However, he did not inherit Mr Green’s title of First Secretary of State.
And Karen Bradley was moved from the role of Culture Secretary to become Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. She had been fighting to force Channel 4 to relocate out of London, something bosses at the broadcaster were loathe to do.
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is Matt Hancock MP, while there was no change for Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Chancellor Philip Hammond or Brexit Secretary David Davis, who stayed where they were.
Liam Fox continued as Secretary of State for International Trade and Chris Grayling stayed in the role of Transport Secretary.
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