Jeremy Hunt has been appointed foreign secretary, with digital, culture, media and sport secretary Matt Hancock named as his successor as health secretary.

Mr Hunt had recently become the longest serving health secretary, having taken the role in September 2012. He had previously said that health secretary was his last major role in politics.

However, following Boris Johnson’s resignation earlier today, Mr Hunt was appointed foreign secretary.

Mr Hancock was appointed digital, culture, media and sport secretary in January 2018 having been a junior minister in the department since July 2016. He was first elected an MP in the 2010 general election in the West Suffolk constituency.

Before entering parliament, he worked as an economist at the Bank of England and as chief of staff to the shadow chancellor.

The reshuffle comes as former foreign secretary Boris Johnson resigned over the Brexit agreement.

Both Mr Hunt and Mr Hancock initially supported the campaign for the UK to remain the EU, but later supported the referendum result in support of Brexit.

 

How has pharmacy reacted?

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) English Board chair Sandra Gildley said:''This is a crucial time for the health service and we look forward to working with Matthew Hancock, his Department and NHS England as they move forward on developing a long-term plan for the NHS.

'We know that the NHS needs to make the most of the whole of the health and care workforce, whether that is supporting the growing numbers of people living with a long-term condition, or helping achieve the ambition of 21,000 more mental health professionals in the NHS by 2021.

'We will be writing to the new health secretary, offering him help in getting up to speed with what the third largest health profession can deliver for patients.'

 

 

A version of this story originally appeared on our sister publication Pulse