Prime Minister Gordon Brown lost another expert from his 'government of all the talents',with Ara Darzi quitting as health minister on Wednesday in order "to spend more time" on his medical consultancy work and research. In his resignation he said,"During my time as a minister,I have maintained my clinical practice and research. The time has now come for me to return to care for my patients,lead my academic department,and continue my research full time." "Making quality the organising principle of the National Health Service has revitalised professional pride,created great appetite for improvement,and built enormous momentum," he said,adding that this movement for change is embedded across the NHS and "will continue for many years to come". According to Downing Street Lord Darzi's departure did not reflect any political disillusionment,but comes only a week after Britain's Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch Brown announced he was quitting. The British government witnessed a series of resignations by cabinet secretaries and junior ministers early last month. Darzi,who was appointed in 2007,would however continue to act as an adviser on health issues,with the British premier assigning him a handful of non-ministerial roles,including that of the government's health and life sciences ambassador.
