All five members of the Tory health team have held their seats.

Anne Milton’s constituency Guildford was the Liberal Democrat’s top target to win, but she held it by about 8,000 votes.

Mike Penning, whose Hemel Hempstead seat was a top Labour target, extended his lead by 9.9 points. He has said a Conservative government would order a review of plans for redevelopment of nearby Watford General Hospital, run by West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley extended his lead in Cambridgeshire South by 0.9 points to 47.4 per cent.

Mark Simmonds won his safe seat of Boston and Skegness by some 12,000 votes.

In Eddisbury, Stephen O’Brien extended his share of the vote by 4.8 percentage points and has a lead of around 13,000.

Election 2010: a candidate watchlist for the NHS