Armenian Surgeon, Appointed minister in new British government.

Story from BBC NEWS: Published: 2007/06/29 - Prime Minister Gordon Brown has appointed a practicing surgeon as a minister at the Department of Health. Professor Sir Ara Darzi, who is charged with improving patient care, has been promoted from his previous role as National Adviser on surgery.
Sir Ara, chair of surgery at Imperial College London, supports government plans to reconfigure NHS services. When he took over as prime minister, Mr Brown said he planned a broad-based government of "all the talents".

But the Conservatives have criticized the appointment, accusing Sir Ara of having a poor record of supporting access to services for patients and rubber-stamping the demands of the Department of Health. In a report published earlier this year Sir Ara said 80% of operations should be carried out on patients in their local area, with the remaining complex cases undertaken at specialist centres by highly skilled surgeons. Ministers have already embarked on a policy of reconfiguring services along these lines - leading to controversial decisions about individual NHS units which have been bitterly opposed by critics. Sir Ara will combine his ministerial duties with his research and clinic al commitments, including the supervision of students.
Sir Ara, 47, said: "It is a great honour and privilege to be asked by the Prime Minister to continue that work for patients across the country.
"I will be working closely with Alan Johnson to map out the next steps of the reform agenda that has achieved so much in the last 10 years. But we can do better."


Front-line experience
He said he would draw on his experience from the front line
to fulfil his new responsibilities.


"I am not a politician by profession. My working life has, is and will continue to be centred on patient care." Sir Ara is internationally respected for his innovative work in the advancement of minimal invasive surgery and in the development and use of allied technologies including surgical robots and image guided surgery.  Dr Jonathan Fielden, chair of the BMA's consultants' committee, said: "Having a focus on improving patient care is a positive step forward.
" We will be looking forward to him listening to our concerns and working closely with him to ensure that the concerns of the profession and the public are utilised to improve patient care."

Mr Bernard Ribeiro, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: "I am delighted that a practising surgeon, who deals with patients on a regular basis, has decided to take such a high position.
"It is an opportunity for government to engage directly with the profession."
The prime minister's spokesman said Professor Darzi would work Monday to Thursday as a minister - being paid for three days - and continue to work as an NHS surgeon, unpaid, on Fridays.
Any income from his international private practise will be paid direct to Imperial College to fund research, the spokesman said.


Who is Sir Ara Darzi?
Professor Sir Ara Darzi, KBE, MB, BCh, BAO, LRCP&SI, FRCSI, MD, FRCS, FACS is one of the world's leading surgeons, specialising in the field of minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery, having pioneered many new techniques and technologies.

Professor Darzi joined Imperial College London in 1994, becoming Head of Division in 2004. During this time he has also served on the Department of Health's National Modernisation Board, the NHS Executive and the National Institute of Clinical Excellence. As well as pioneering robot-assisted surgery, he has helped develop new training methods, involving the use of virtual reality to allow surgeons to practise their skills.

Professor Darzi was born in Armenia but spent much of his childhood in Ireland. In 2003 he became a British citizen. He was awarded a knighthoo d in 2003 for his services to medicine and surgery.