New Health Secretary is a doctor, but not the medical type.
Therese Coffey has revealed her 'Plan for Patients' to cut GP appointment waiting times in England. In the Department for Health and Social Care's statement about the plan, the Deputy Prime Minister and Health Secretary is referred to as "Dr".
That may make you think our Health Secretary has experience as a medical professional, but that is not why she can be called a doctor.
Read more: Plan to cut GP waiting times for patients set to be revealed
Dr Coffey has a PhD - in chemistry - which she earned from University College London after dropping out from Oxford University. PhD is a short form for "doctor of philosophy". PhDs are post-graduate degrees that usually take three to four years to complete.
As she earned a PhD, the Health Secretary has the right to call herself a doctor, but that does not mean she has worked in medicine.
According to her bio on her website and the Parliamentary website, Dr Coffey went to work for Mars - of Mars Bar fame - after graduating from UCL. There, she qualified as a chartered management accountant and became finance director for a Mars subsidiary. She has also worked for the BBC.
Her bios do state that her political work has focussed on "improving the NHS experience for patients" but make no mention of any healthcare roles outside her duties as an MP.
Her constituency bio adds: "Therese grew up in the North West and after graduating from UCL with a PhD in Chemistry, joined the international company Mars. Qualified as a chartered management accountant, she became Finance Director for a UK subsidiary and has also worked at the BBC. Outside politics, she enjoys watching football, gardening, is a CAMRA member and enjoys music, especially Muse."
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