The last doctor to hold the post of Health Secretary was Dr Walter Elliot between 1938 and 1940

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The Express has learnt that Dr Phillip Lee, who is a justice minister and still a practising GP, could be in line to take over from Jeremy Hunt at the Department for Health with speculation that the Prime Minister wants to promote talented junior ministers in a major reshuffle.

According to sources the Tory high command is worried that it has lost the confidence of many health professionals after a series of difficult reforms and feel that Dr Lee, who has already impressed as a minister, could start winning back people working for the NHS.

Meanwhile, Mr Hunt is set for a promotion possibly to Deputy Prime Minister after impressing Mrs May with his “calm handling” of bringing in the new seven day contract for doctors and the strike by junior doctors.

The reshuffle will be needed because Mrs May has to replace Damian Green who was forced to resign as First Secretary of State for breaking the ministerial code by making misleading comments about what he knew of allegations that the police had found porn on his computer.