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Dan Poulter replaced as undersecretary for health

Dr Dan Poulter has been replaced as parliamentary undersecretary for health by Ben Gummer, the MP for Ipswich, in the post-election reshuffle of the government.

Dr Dan Poulter has been replaced as parliamentary undersecretary for health by Ben Gummer, the MP for Ipswich, in the post-election reshuffle of the government.

Dr Poulter was the minister in charge of nursing and midwifery. One area that he was a key supporter of was the Health Visitor Implementation Plan, which pledged to increase the number of health visitors by 4200.

Unlike Dr Poulter, Mr Gummer does not have a background in healthcare. He was previously the private secretary to Nicky Morgan, the education secretary. Described as a libertarian, Mr Gummer has opposed public health initiatives such as banning smoking in cars with children. Mr Gummer's duties are yet to be announced.

In parliament, he voted in favour of reforming the NHS so GPs could buy services on behalf of their patients, while he voted strongly against restricting the provision of services for private patients by the NHS.

Dr Poulter has said that he intends to devote more time to clinical practice, which he has been doing in his spare time for a number of years.

Norman Lamb has been replaced as the minister for care and support by Alistair Burt, the MP for North East Bedfordshire. He was previously the minister for disabled people between 1995 and 1997.

In parliament Mr Burt has voted in favour of smoking bans and moderately for NHS reform. In a pre-election statement, he said: 'I would like to assure you that the Government is committed to an NHS that is always there for everyone who needs it, funded from general taxation and free at the point of use.'

At the time of writing, Jane Ellison, the MP for Battersea, has retained her position as minister for public health.