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Prime minister Andy Burnham has appointed former foreign secretary Yvette Cooper as health and social care secretary as he formed his new cabinet.

Ms Cooper replaces James Murray, who had held the health and social care brief since May this year following Wes Streeting's resignation.

Stephen Kinnock, the MP for Aberafan Maesteg, has been moved on from his role as minister of state for care – the post that saw him negotiate with England’s pharmacy sector for just over two years – and been appointed secretary of state for Wales.

Commenting on Mr Kinnock’s departure, Community Pharmacy England chief executive Janet Morrison said:  “Stephen Kinnock has been an engaged and constructive minister, who has gone into bat for community pharmacy. We thank him for this, and for the time he has taken to understand the challenges and opportunities for community pharmacy and their value to communities.”

Welcoming Yvette Cooper’s appointment, Ms Morrison said: “She takes on the role at a pivotal moment for the future of the NHS, with growing recognition of the vital contribution that local pharmacies make to improving patient access to care and delivering it closer to home.

“Pharmacies remain under considerable pressure, and maintaining momentum on reform and sector sustainability, as well as building on the investment and sector contributions to date, will be vital.

“We stand ready to work constructively with the new secretary of state and her team to help deliver the Government's health ambitions alongside the support, reform and investment that pharmacies desperately need.”

 This was echoed by Independent Pharmacies Association chief Leyla Hannbeck, who said: “The community pharmacy sector has endured a prolonged period of political uncertainty. The fact we are on our third health secretary since Labour were elected shows how difficult a period it has been and how it is vital that we need stability.

“Pharmacies cannot afford any further delay in addressing the serious challenges facing the sector.
“We look forward to working constructively with Yvette Cooper and her ministerial team to tackle the fundamental issues holding community pharmacy back, including ending the unacceptable situation where pharmacies are forced to dispense medicines at a loss.

The National Pharmacy Association’s Henry Gregg said that as pharmacy minister, Mr Kinnock had “worked with our sector to begin reversing a decade of funding cuts - but there is a long way still to go”.

He added: “Andy Burnham’s pledge to reform business rates in order to provide greater support for high-street businesses is quite right.

“Pharmacies are at the heart of every high street and should benefit from the business rate relief already given to other parts of the NHS, so that we can continue to provide vital healthcare in every neighbourhood.”