Mark Drakeford returns as interim Wales health secretary
Former first minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has been brought back into Welsh Government as the new cabinet secretary for health and social care.
Eluned Morgan, who was formally sworn in as first minister on Tuesday after her selection last week, announced changes to her cabinet earlier today (7 August).
“The appointments I am announcing today will provide stability and continuity over the summer in the ministerial team”
Eluned Morgan
Mr Drakeford, who resigned as leader of Wales in March, will serve as health secretary on an interim basis, having previously held the post –then called minister for health and social services – from 2013-2016 under Carwyn Jones.
He replaces Ms Morgan, who herself held the health and social care post from May 2021 until becoming first minister.
“[Mr Drakeford] will bring his significant knowledge and experience to bear to continue our work to improve transparency and delivery,” Ms Morgan said in a statement to the Senedd earlier today.
She also named Huw Irranca-Davies as deputy first minister and Elisabeth Jones as interim counsel general.
The new first minister said further cabinet reshuffles would take place in September, “following a listening exercise over the summer with the Welsh public”.
Eluned Morgan
She added: “The appointments I am announcing today will provide stability and continuity over the summer in the ministerial team.”
However, Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru, was critical of Mr Drakeford’s appointment to the cabinet.
“At a time of crisis for the Welsh NHS, the last thing we need is an interim health minister that will only add to the uncertainty facing our health service,” he said.
“When previously in post, Mark Drakeford presided over an 11% increase in those waiting for treatment and Wales’ largest health board was put into special measures.
“Wales deserves better than a government of stagnation and indecision.”
After leading the country through the pandemic, having become first minister in 2018, Mr Drakeford announced at the end of last year that he would step down. He was replaced by Vaughan Gething in March 2024.
However, Mr Gething, also a former Welsh health secretary, resigned in July after losing a confidence vote in June, leading to Ms Morgan’s appointment.
Ms Morgan has now become the first woman to lead Wales since devolution in 1997.
The Plaid Cymru leader Mr Iorwerth warned that Ms Morgan needed to “reverse her own record” from her time as health secretary, which he said had “resulted in the highest ever waiting times in the NHS”.
He added: “More of the same really is no longer an option.”
