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Astrology advocate challenges GP to head health scrutiny body

Former GP Dr Sarah Wollaston will face competition to reclaim the chair of the health select committee from an MP advocating astrology on the NHS.

David Tredinnick is the only challenger to Dr Wollaston for the role having been nominated by former health minister Dr Dan Poulter among other MPs.

The Conservative MP for Bosworth is famous for his championing of alternative medicine, not least homeopathy, however he was met by ridicule from Pulse readers last year after suggesting that GPs could use astrology to treat patients more efficiently and reduce public spend.

The House of Commons Health Committee examines the policy, administration and expenditure of the Department of Health. The chair will be elected until the end of Parliament in a ballot of all MPs to be held on 17 June. Nominations opened yesterday and will close 10 June.

Dr Wollaston was the most recent chair of the committee, having won a ballot to succeed Stephen Dorrell last summer.

The MP for Totnes has been an outspoken critic of health policies over the past five years, including challenging the Government on GP numbers, on patient record sharing and on seven-day access.