The Secretary of State for Health and Social Services was a position in the UK cabinet, created on 1 November 1968 with responsibility for the Department of Health and Social Security. It continued until 25 July 1988 when Department of Health and the Department of Social Security were created.
Though when created the position had responsibility for the National Health Service throughout England and Wales, responsibility for the NHS in Wales was transferred to the Secretary of State for Wales in 1969.
Colour key (for political parties):
Labour Conservative
Name | Term of office | Length of term | Political party | Prime Minister | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richard Crossman | 1 November 1968 | 19 June 1970 | 1 year, 7 months and 18 days | Labour | Harold Wilson | |||
Sir Keith Joseph | 20 June 1970 | 4 March 1974 | 3 years, 8 months and 12 days | Conservative | Edward Heath | |||
Barbara Castle | 5 March 1974 | 8 April 1976 | 2 years, 1 month and 3 days | Labour | Harold Wilson | |||
David Ennals | 8 April 1976 | 4 May 1979 | 3 years and 26 days | Labour | James Callaghan | |||
Patrick Jenkin [1] | 5 May 1979 | 13 September 1981 | 2 years, 4 months and 8 days | Conservative | Margaret Thatcher | |||
Norman Fowler [2] | 14 September 1981 | 13 June 1987 | 5 years, 8 months and 30 days | Conservative | ||||
John Moore [3] | 13 June 1987 | 24 July 1988 | 1 year, 1 month and 11 days | Conservative | ||||
Post split into Secretary of State for Social Security and Secretary of State for Health in 1988. |
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