New Prime Minister Liz Truss has chosen Therese Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, to replace Steve Barclay as health secretary. Caitlin Tilley takes a look at her track record
Ms Coffey led Ms Truss’ leadership bid, and has also been appointed Deputy Prime Minister.
She will be the fifth health secretary in just four years, and has most recently served as work and pensions secretary since 2019.
Last month, she said doctors would not want patients to be charged for missed appointments – a suggestion made by Ms Truss’s rival Rishi Sunak.
Ms Coffey told LBC: ‘This idea has been rolling around for a long time and I think there’s a reason why it hasn’t been brought into place in the past.
‘I think putting the onus on doctors to fine their patients – I’m not sure many doctors would want to do that. Quite candidly, it’s important that we treat people.’
In the wake of America’s Roe v Wade decision in June, practising Catholic Ms Coffey told Sky News that she would ‘prefer that people didn’t have abortions’, but said that ‘abortion law isn’t going to change in [the UK]’.
The BBC reported that she recently voted against making at-home abortion pills, introduced during the pandemic, permanently available in England and Wales.
It was a free vote in the Commons, where MPs vote based on their own personal beliefs rather than on party lines.
During her time as a backbencher, Ms Coffey submitted a motion in Parliament in 2010 calling for ‘mental health assessments’ for women seeking abortions.
Her motion said: ‘In its 14 March 2008 statement the Royal College of Psychiatrists advised that healthcare professionals who assess or refer women who are requesting an abortion should assess for mental disorder and for risk factors that may be associated with its subsequent development’ and called on the Government to ‘give its full backing to mental health assessments for women presenting for abortion’.
And in March this year during a Parliamentary debate about cost of living increases, Ms Coffey said the Department of Work and Pensions plans to ‘resume [the] contact’ of GPs actively asking patients if they are eligible for pension credit.
York Central MP Rachael Maskell said to Ms Coffey: ‘I chair the all-party parliamentary group for ageing and older people, which has just had an inquiry into the matter.
‘One thing we suggested was that, since a lot of older people visit their GP at some point, GPs should be active in asking their patients whether they are eligible for pension credit. That would help them to claim the benefits that they should be able to attain.’
Ms Coffey replied: ‘I know that we have had paid advertising in post offices and in GPs’ waiting areas in the past; doctors often tell us that they do not necessarily like to be attached to benefit claiming and similar matters, but I hear what the hon. Lady says, and my understanding is that we intend to resume that contact.
‘I have also asked the leading pharmacy chains to be involved, because that is often a more regular way in which people get help. We will try different outlets, in addition to those we have tried in the past, to make people more aware of the potential opportunities.’
And in April 2020, Ms Coffey dismissed findings from a survey on PPE shortages by the Doctors Association UK on LBC.
Ms Coffey’s voting record on health:
- Consistently voted for ‘reforming the NHS so GPs buy services on behalf of their patients’.
- Consistently voted against smoking bans.
- Consistently voted against restricting the provision of services to private patients by the NHS.
- Voted against allowing terminally ill people to be given assistance to end their life.
Source: TheyWorkForYou
She also voted against same-sex marriage, and equal gay rights.
Other than her time as work and pensions secretary, Ms Coffey was previously minister of state at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from July 2019 to September 2019, parliamentary under secretary at the same department between July 2016 and July 2019 and deputy leader of the House of Commons from May 2015 until July 2016.
She was elected the Conservative MP for Suffolk Coastal in May 2010.
Ms Coffey was educated at St Edward’s College in Liverpool before reading chemistry at Somerville, Oxford. She gained her PhD in the subject at the University College London. She worked as a finance manager for Mars and the BBC before becoming a politician.
Ms Coffey said the Department of Work and Pensions plans to ‘resume [the] contact’ of GPs actively asking patients if they are eligible for pension credit.
A patient being asked such a Q may well ask the GP whether they think they would be eligible – a perfectly reasonable response . GP’s planning to ask such Q’s would be advised to be fairy well versed in the details, rules and regulations of the benefit system, UC etc . Otherwise- leave it to the professionals – eg CAB.
Absolutely IJ
Not a question of if it’s going Pete Tong more when precisely.
The merry go round of Health Secretary continues & continuity and consistency are impossible
Poor ol’ Therese Coffey in her important role as Health Secretary seems to look a bit overweight to put things very mildly.
Why she is extremely overweight, who knows, but this is a terrible look and does not bode well for the NHS.
Is this perhaps comfort eating due to her real wish being that she be in the Labour Shadow Cabinet instead of this shambles
government. In the present UK crisis, and with food and energy shooting up in price, possibly she chose to just keep eating;
but this does not appear to be the healthy decision
Age 50- looks 70. Don’t worry- won’t be there long. Someone else will be doing the job in a year. It’s the salt mines for any minister.