Former health secretary, Alan Milburn, has been appointed as lead non-executive member to the board of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Mr Milburn, who served as health secretary under former Labour prime minister Tony Blair from 1999 to 2003, will chair the department’s board and provide support to the current health secretary, Wes Streeting.
The board itself provides independent advice and expertise to help inform the department’s strategy, performance and governance.
It had previously been suggested that Mr Milburn would return in a role related to NHS reform when Mr Streeting’s role was confirmed.
In an interview with the Times on Friday, Mr Milburn said the NHS was ‘a million times worse’ than when he was in office.
He said: ‘The NHS is in the worst state I’ve ever seen and I’ve been around health policy now for 30 years. I genuinely think it’s drinking in the last-chance saloon.’
On the appointment, Mr Streeting said: ‘As Secretary of State, Alan made the reforms which helped deliver the shortest waiting times and highest patient satisfaction in the history of the NHS.
‘This government has inherited a broken health service with some of the longest waiting times and lowest patient satisfaction in history. I am delighted to welcome Alan to the department board, where he will offer advice on turning the NHS around once again.
‘His unique expertise and experience will be invaluable and he has an outstanding track record of delivering better care for patients.’
Lead non-executive director Alan Milburn said: ‘I am delighted to be appointed to this role.
‘Having spent three decades working in health policy, I have never seen the NHS in a worse state. Big reforms will be needed to make it fit for the future.
‘I am confident this government has the right plans in place to transform the health service and the health of the nation. I’m looking forward to working with them to achieve that mission.’
Last week, former justice minister Edward Argar was appointed as the shadow health secretary by new Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch.
