Health minister Darzi quits government

LONDON (Reuters) - Health Minister Ara Darzi is resigning from the government but will continue to act as an adviser on health issues, the government said on Tuesday.

"Ara Darzi is standing down as a government minister in order to devote more time to his clinical role and academic research," a statement from Downing Street said.

"He will take on a new role as a health and life sciences ambassador for the government.

"Lord Darzi will also advise on health reforms in both the National Health Service and our global public health."

Darzi, who was appointed in 2007 as part of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's 'government of all the talents', plans to return to active surgery at Imperial College Healthcare trust.

Darzi led a year-long review of the NHS and published a report entitled "High Quality Care For All" in June last year.

There was a series of resignations by cabinet secretaries and junior ministers early last month, just before Brown reshuffled his cabinet in an effort to shore up his popularity in the wake of a parliamentary expenses scandal.

Last week, Mark Malloch-Brown, a minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a former deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, also announced he was quitting for "personal and family reasons."

The next general election must be held before June next year. Brown is expected to wait as long as possible before calling it, giving himself time to see if the economy will improve and bolster his Labour party's fortunes.