Caulfield confirmed as new pharmacy minister

Lewes MP Maria Caulfield has been appointed as minister in charge of the pharmacy portfolio following a cabinet reshuffle.

Her appointment came just days after Maggie Throup, MP for Erewash, was appointed parliamentary under secretary of state for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care on September 16 following a cabinet reshuffle by prime minister Boris Johnson.

At the time it appeared like a 'like for like' replacement for Jo Churchill who was moved to Defra.

The Department of Health and Social Care told Pharmacy Business on Friday (September 24) that the ministerial responsibilities "were still being finalised" after the previous week's cabinet reshuffle and confirmed that Maria Caufield has taken over from Jo Churchill as the minister responsible for pharmacy.

A three MP, Caulfield entered parliament in 2015 after her election victory from the East Sussex constituency on a Conservative Party ticket. She won her subsequent elections form the same constituency in 2017 and 2019.

Caulfield was appointed vice chair for women of the Conservative Party in 2018 and was named an assistant government whip, focusing on the work of the Departments for Culture and International Trade, while also looking after the welfare of a group of MPs.

A nurse by profession, Caulfield was born in 1973 to Irish immigrant parents living in Wandsworth, London, where she grew up. She lives with her husband, an ex-serviceman and former builder, who now works as her office manager.