Stephen Kinnock named minister responsible for general practice

Stephen Kinnock will cover general practice in his new minister for care role, the Department of Health and Social Care has said.

The Labour MP for Aberafan Maesteg in Wales was appointed as Minister of State for Care early last week, and his official portfolio was published on Friday.

Working under health secretary Wes Streeting, he will be responsible for general practice as well as adult social care, hospital discharge and community health, among other areas.

Mr Kinnock’s portfolio also includes ‘neighbourhood health services’, which was was a prominent feature of Labour’s election manifesto.

The health secretary has already been clear that general practice is a priority for this Labour Government, by making his first official visit to a GP practice, where he committed to reversing the underfunding of general practice.

DHSC’s other minister of state, Karin Smyth, will cover secondary care and wider NHS issues such as workforce, data, and finance.

Mr Kinnock, the son of former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, has no experience in health policy – his previous shadow ministerial roles covered the armed forces, foreign affairs and immigration.

However, Ms Smyth has previously worked as a manager for a CCG and a non-executive director at a primary care trust (PCT).

The DHSC has also confirmed the appointment of two other junior ministers, Andrew Gywnne and Baroness Merron, who will cover wider issues in the department’s portfolio.

Mr Gwynne, the MP for Gorton and Denton, has taken on responsibility for public health and prevention, covering issues such as antimicrobial resistance, addiction and long-term conditions.

Baroness Merron has joined DHSC from the House of Lords, and will be responsible for patient experience and safety, mental health, and women’s health.