On 6 July, the Prime Minister attempted to secure Cabinet agreement on the UK's future relationship with the EU after Brexit at a crunch meeting held at Chequers, her country retreat. Yet 72 hours later, two key figures had resigned, David Davis, Secretary of State for Exiting the EU and Boris Johnson, Foreign secretary.  Both had supported a “hard Brexit”, a position characterised by a desire for regulatory divergence from the EU and a departure from existing EU customs arrangements.

These resignations resulted in a minor government reshuffle.

This briefing includes:

• Biographies of the new secretaries of state for Brexit and Health and Social Care
• An overview of the ministerial health and social care team
• A summary of the other changes made in the reshuffle
• NHS Providers response to the appointment of Matt Hancock as Health and Social Care Secretary 

NHS Providers have written to the new Secretary of State on behalf of the provider sector.