New health minister appointed by DHSC

The government has announced a new minister for public health and prevention.

Downing Street confirmed that Sharon Hodgson had been appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Health and Social Care.

The Labour MP for Washington and Gateshead South will replace Ashley Dalton, who stepped down on Monday in order to continue oral chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Mrs Hodgson was first elected in May 2005 and served as a shadow minister for public health when her party was in opposition.

Posting on social media this morning, Mrs Hodgson said she was ‘honoured to have been appointed’.

She added: ‘Having spent four years in opposition shadowing this role, as well as having led on several public health campaigns as a backbench MP since, I am deeply passionate about delivering on this important brief for the government.’

She paid tribute to Ms Dalton’s ‘incredible work, delivered most inspiringly while also battling her own health issues’.

Mrs Hodgson chairs the First Do No Harm – Mesh, Primodos, Valproate All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).

She opened a parliamentary debate in March last year on the first anniversary of the Hughes Report into valproate and pelvic mesh, a topic she has widely campaigned on.

Outgoing minister Ms Dalton congratulated Mrs Hodgson yesterday on social media on her appointment.

She said: ‘Her dedication to public health and advocacy for those harmed by sodium valproate and pelvic mesh stands her in good stead to take up this role.

‘I’ll be cheering her on from the backbench.’

A version of this article was first published by our sister title Healthcare Leader