Health secretary Andrew Lansley appeared on Radio 4's Today to describe the new Tory-Lib Dem government's priorities for health policy.

A transcript appears below.

John Humphreys: The Tories wanted to ring-fence spending on the NHS; the Liberal Democrats didn’t. Whatever happens over the next five years, there are going to have to be cuts in the way in which the NHS is run, aren’t there?

Health secretary Andrew Lansley's first statement in office has been published on the DH website.

It reads,
'Just as Britain needs strong and stable Government, so we intend to bring to the NHS the consistent, stable reform, which enables it to deliver improving quality of care to patients.

'I have met many people working in the NHS and social care; I know they want to focus on patients and to be accountable for the results they achieve.

The language always matters.

Always watch the words used.

Just as we had Health Secretary Andrew Lansley's journey from "no more targets" to "no more politically motivated targets" during the election campaign, now we can read what the Coalition Agreement between the Liberal-Conservative government says.

There are "should" commitments in this Agreement, and there are "will" commitments.

And what it says on the NHS and public spending is this:

The excellent Dr Phil Hammond is well-known for his nom-de-plume as Private Eye's MD.

His latest Eye column, reproduced here on his website, looks at the Employment Tribunal's ruling over the suspension and subsequent dismissal of Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust chief executive John Watkinson in 2008.

Good morning.

The rumour mill of the Westminster Village has it that the terms of this full coalition mean that there will be a Liberal Democrat minister in every department.

So will Norman Lamb get a post at health? He is the logical choice. He has been a good messenger for his party’s health policy, and understands the issues.

He should get a post. The interesting next question will be to see what portfolio is given to a Lib Dem health minister.

Lamb to the slaughter?

Anyway, before we were so rudely interrupted by this election thingy ...

I got an interview with Matt Tee, former comms supremo of the Commissiong For Health Improvement, DH and also erstwhile business development dude at Dr Foster - not to mention former CE of NHS Direct.

He has been spending recent years in the Cabinet Office as head of government communications. We spoke a bit about all of the above. Couldn't publish during for purdah reasons, can now and so am.

Hope you enjoy it.

by Health Policy Insight editor Andy Cowper

There are survivors and there are thrivers. Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary of Government Communications Matt Tee is the latter.

His career in communications, culminating in the role of Director General of Communications for the DH, took an interesting tangent when he was appointed chief executive of NHS Direct. He also worked as Business Development Manager for Dr Foster.

PoliticsHome suggests that Andrew Lansley is confirmed as the next Health Secretary.

Quite a job. Quite a time.

The reason the Virgin Mary is pained in blue robes is most classical pictures is that blue was the most expensive pigment to make.

Of course, she was often pictured with the gold halo to indicate sanctity.

And so we have Prime Minister David Cameron. The status of NHS funding will have been a fascinating negotiating conversation.

The future isn't what it used to be ... which is a good thing - in parts. Like a curate's egg.

Hello there.

As negotiations over who may form a government continue, it might be useful to have a look through some of the options and positions.

HPI associate editor Tom Smith produced this useful rundown of the possible permutations of coalitions and implications for health policy, dubbing what is ahead 'a radical, unavoidable future for the NHS, whoever wins'.