By Gareth Iacobucci
The Government has appointed Baroness Glenys Thornton to replace Lord Darzi as health minister.
Baroness Thornton – who assumes the role of parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Health – was previously a Labour Whip in the House of Lords, and has been a Government spokesperson for health since 2008.
The Baroness, who was only recently cleared of any wrongdoing after an investigation into her expenses claims, joins health ministers Mike O'Brien, Gillian Merron, Phil Hope and Ann Keen to complete Andy Burnham's ministerial team.
She replaces the outgoing surgeon-turned-health minister Lord Ara Darzi, who resigned as health minister in July last year in order to return to his clinical commitments, after completing his next stage review of the NHS.
