Heidi Alexander, the MP for Lewisham East, has been named the shadow health secretary for the Labour party.
Ms Alexander will replace the previous shadown health secretary Andy Burnham. Mr Burnham has now been appointed as the new shadow home secretary. She will serve in the shadow cabinet under the new opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who was elected as leader of the Labour party on 12 September.
Ms Alexander said she was ‘humbled to serve as shadow health secretary.'
She added: 'The NHS is facing immense challenges and I will do all I can to hold this Government to account.’
Ms Alexander has been the MP for Lewisham East since she was elected in the 2010 general election. She is the chair of the all party parliamentary group on choice at the end of life.
She previously worked as a researcher for Joan Ruddock, former MP for Lewisham Deptford.
For the first time, a specific minister has been appointed for mental health in the shadow cabinet. Luciana Berger, the MP for Liverpool Wavertree, will be the shadow minister for mental health. She was formerly a shadow public health minister.