Five health secretaries in as many years is not just a damning indictment of a chaotic, shambolic government, it’s a depressing statistic for anyone working towards or hoping for greater integration between high street optometry and NHS ophthalmology departments.
Optometry’s position on how it can help NHS ophthalmology has been consistent for many years, but continuity is something the Department for Health and Social Care has been sorely lacking in recent years.
I would be happy if the optometry sector’s lobbyists took the next few months off and waited for an incoming Labour government. To my political email acquaintance from Barnstaple, yes, that is what I am hoping for. Outgoing health secretary Steve Barclay had been in post for just over 12 months.
During his tenure, Barclay had made some significant progress alongside the World Health Organization with a commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of global healthcare, and ushering in plans to raise the legal age of smoking each year until it’s effectively phased out.
Unfortunately, not much progress was made with the swathes of the NHS workforce going on strike. But that’s to be expected when you steadfastly refuse to engage in dialogue with those taking industrial action.
So, to the new health secretary, Victoria Atkins. Prior to standing as an MP, she worked as a criminal barrister, prosecuting members of serious organised crime gangs. There’s a joke there somewhere, I’m sure.
On her parliamentary website, Atkins says her husband, Paul (Kenward) is CEO of a ‘food company’. That’s very nearly the truth, because Kenward is chief executive of ABF Sugar, one of the world’s largest sugar companies.
Before that, he was indeed a CEO, of British Sugar. Parliamentary monitoring website theyworkforyou.com lists her health policy voting record as voting for reforming the NHS so GPs buy services for their patients and never voting on allowing terminally ill people to be given assistance to end their life.
How impactful Atkins will be in what is likely to be a short tenure is anyone’s guess, but I wish her luck, nonetheless.