Thread by @timd_IFG, Inspired by this piece on former health secretaries, I've been digging into [...]

Inspired by this piece on former health secretaries, I've been digging into @instituteforgov's #MinistersReflect archive to hear what those who've held one of the most difficult jobs in govt have said about it... https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/17/whod-be-a-health-secretary-five-former-incumbents-on-the-toughest-gig-in-politics

Who'd be a health secretary? Five former incumbents on the toughest gig in politics

With Matt Hancock under fire, former health secretaries discuss their highs and lows and how they dealt with pandemics

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/17/whod-be-a-health-secretary-five-former-incumbents-on-the-toughest-gig-in-politics

First up, Ken Clarke told us how the job can be seen as a poisoned chalice - and how difficult it can be to get things done...

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ministers-reflect/person/kenneth-clarke/

Jeremy Hunt, now scrutinising the govt as chair of the health select committee, was formerly the longest-serving health sec who had his own run-ins with the sector. He reflected on the importance of managing relationships...

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ministers-reflect/person/jeremy-hunt/

There has been a lot of talk about how the different parts of public health provision work together - even in Alan Johnson's day 15 years ago, there were challenges:

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ministers-reflect/person/alan-johnson/

(PS - interested in what exactly Public Health England does and who it reports to? The @instituteforgov has an explainer for that, of course!) https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/public-health-england

Public Health England

PHE is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/public-health-england

Patricia Hewitt told us how any health sec will spend a lot of time in parliament, even when there isn't a global health crisis happening

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ministers-reflect/person/patricia-hewitt/

Her shadow, Andrew Lansley, of course went on to make major reforms at the start of the coalition government - which formally moved much of the operational control of the NHS from the Dept of Health to NHS England. But as his successor told us...

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ministers-reflect/person/jeremy-hunt/

For more ministerial reflections on working at the Department of Health, take a look at our interviews here: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ministers-reflect/?select-department%5B0%5D=department-of-health&hidden-sort-by=nameaz&hidden-current-page=1

Ministers Reflect

Interviews on how to be effective in Government

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ministers-reflect/?select-department%5B0%5D=department-of-health&hidden-sort-by=nameaz&hidden-current-page=1

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