Pharmacy minister Earl Howe has remained at the Department of Health, making him the only health minster to keep his position during the reshuffle.

While Earl Howe stays, Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb will replace Paul Burstow as care services minister, with Daniel Poulter and Anna Soubry taking over from Anne Milton and Simon Burns as health ministers.

Although the junior portfolios have not yet been confirmed, it is likely Earl Howe will remain responsible for pharmacy. Since his appointment as pharmacy minister in 2010, Earl Howe has worked on a number of high-profile issues, including the scrapping of the 100-hour control of entry exemption, the introduction of the new medicine service (NMS) and stock shortages.

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	Pharmacy bodies welcomed the news that Earl Howe would remain as health minister, expressing hopes that he would continue his work in pharmacy. Pharmacy Voice chief executive Rob Darracott said Earl Howe's re-appointment would help "maintain the momentum" of his work to date.

"Earl Howe has taken his pharmacy portfolio seriously, demonstrating a considerable enthusiasm for developments within the contract, including new and targeted services to help patients use their medicines more effectively, and in public health, where he has been a great supporter of the healthy living pharmacy initiative," he told C+D.

And PSNC's chief executive Sue Sharpe praised Earl Howe's role in pushing through the NMS and targeted MURs despite the "significant financial problems" facing the NHS. "Earl Howe has had a long-standing interest in community pharmacy and the role it has to play in healthcare, and he continued to be an advocate for the sector after taking on ministerial responsibility for it," she said.

"As well as supporting the development of community pharmacists' role in the reformed NHS, Earl Howe has also recognised some of the sector's biggest challenges, such as branded medicine supply problems, and the work pharmacies have been doing to tackle them."

Numark's director of pharmacy services, Mimi Lau, echoed the comments. "Earl Howe has always been pro-pharmacy and we hope he will continue to be so and put pharmacy on the radar of the new health secretary [Jeremy Hunt] as soon as possible," she said.

Who are the new health ministers?

Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrats, North Norfolk)

Norman Lamb's political career began as a parliamentary assistant for a Labour MP in the early 1980s. After the creation of the Liberal Democrats, he stood for a seat on Norwich City Council and became MP for North Norfolk in 2001. Once in Parliament, he served as shadow treasury minister as well as parliamentary private secretary to Charles Kennedy.

After his re-election in 2005, Mr Lamb was promoted to the Liberal Democrat shadow cabinet with responsibility for trade and industry. In December 2006 he became the party's shadow health secretary, and it was in this role that he spoke to C+D in 2010 about the Liberal Democrats' vow to put pharmacists at the vanguard of an NHS, geared towards preventing killer diseases.

Following the formation of a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in 2010, he has served as chief parliamentary and political advisor to Nick Clegg, assistant government whip and chair of the Liberal Democrats' federal policy committee. While in parliament he has rarely rebelled against the party line, and voted strongly against the introduction of foundation hospitals in 2003.

Anna Soubry (Conservative, Broxtowe)

Anna Soubry read law at Birmingham University, where she joined the Conservative Party and was elected as the first female Conservative at the National Union of Students Executive. A trained barrister, she worked in television as a news reporter and presenter before returning to the Bar in the mind-1990s. She practised as a criminal barrister in Nottingham until she was elected as MP for Broxtowe in 2010.

In November 2010, Mrs Soubry was appointed as parliamentary private secretary to minister of state for health services Simon Burns. In Parliament she has voted with her party on health issues, showing support for increased private-sector involvement in the NHS and the health and social care bill.

Daniel Poulter  (Conservative, Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Daniel Poulter studied law at Bristol University before studying medicine at King's College London. He worked as an NHS hospital doctor specialising in obstetrics, gynaecology and women's health and continues to practice medicine on a part-time basis since he was elected as Conservative MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich in 2010.

Dr Poulter is a member of the health select committee, chair of the parliamentary group on maternity and an officer of the parliamentary group to improve global health. He has helped set up medical and lifestyle advice clinics for the homeless and people with drug and alcohol misuse problems.

In Parliament he has voted not to delay the abolition of strategic health authorities and against a proposal to require independent advice be made available to women requesting an abortion.

His website states that he is "a strong believer in MPs having experience of life outside of politics and he uses his background as an NHS doctor to stand up for the needs of the people of Suffolk, particularly fighting for high-quality local healthcare services".

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