Dame Diana Johnson confirmed as new primary care minister

Dame Diana Johnson has been confirmed as the new minister responsible for primary care in the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Johnson replaces Stephen Kinnock in the primary care brief following recent ministerial changes. Her responsibilities include general practice and community pharmacy, putting her in a key position as the government continues its plans to shift more healthcare from hospitals into community settings.

Johnson was appointed as a Minister of State at DHSC on 21 July 2026, having previously served as Minister for Employment at the Department for Work and Pensions. She is the MP for Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham and has previously held ministerial roles at both the Department for Work and Pensions and the Home Office.

Her appointment to the primary care brief comes at a significant time for general practice and community pharmacy, with both sectors playing a central role in plans to deliver more preventative care closer to people’s homes.

Pharmacy organisations have already welcomed confirmation of Johnson’s responsibilities, while calling for continued investment in community pharmacy and an expanded role for the sector in delivering NHS care.

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