Thérèse Coffey is England’s new health and social care secretary

The UK’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, has appointed Thérèse Coffey as England’s health and social care secretary.

The MP for Suffolk Coastal becomes the third person to hold the health and social care post in as many months. She takes over from Steve Barclay, who had only two months in the job.

Coffey, 50, who leaves her role as work and pensions secretary, is a close friend of Truss and managed her Conservative Party leadership campaign against Rishi Sunak. The immediate challenges for Coffey to tackle as health secretary are record NHS waiting lists, ambulances stacking up, and a severe workforce crisis. She will also have to divide her time with her other …