Ara Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Darzi of Denham
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2019
|
|
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health | |
| In office 29 June 2007 – 21 July 2009 |
|
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Thornton |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
|
| Assumed office 19 July 2007 Life Peerage |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ara Warkes Darzi
7 May 1960 Baghdad, Iraq |
| Political party | None (non-affiliated) |
| Other political affiliations |
Labour (until 2019) |
| Alma mater | Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Trinity College, Dublin |
| Known for |
|
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields |
|
| Institutions |
|
Ara Warkes Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham (born 7 May 1960) is an Armenian-British surgeon, academic, and politician. He is known for his work in advanced surgery and for helping to improve healthcare systems.
Lord Darzi holds an important position as a professor of surgery at Imperial College London. He is an expert in minimally invasive surgery, also known as keyhole surgery. He has developed many new ways to perform operations. He also helps lead the Institute of Global Health Innovation.
He has worked to improve the NHS in England. He is also known around the world for pushing for new ideas in healthcare. Lord Darzi used to be a member of the House of Lords for the Labour Party. However, he later became an independent member.
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Early Life and Family
Darzi was born in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1960. His parents were Armenian and had to leave their home because of difficult times in 1915. His family had lived in a place called Erzurum. His grandmother was one of the few family members who survived and fled to Iraq.
Lord Darzi grew up speaking Armenian and sang in church. He finished school in Baghdad. But in the late 1970s, his family decided to move again. At 17, he went to Ireland to study medicine. His parents and sister later moved to London. He remembers his father saying they needed to leave Iraq for their future.
He studied medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He earned his medical degrees in 1984. He then got a higher degree from Trinity College, Dublin. In 1990, he moved to the UK to continue his surgery career. By 1991, at age 31, he became a consultant surgeon. He later moved to St Mary's Hospital, London in 1994.
His wife, Wendy, is from Ireland. They have two children, Freddie and Nina.
Medical Career
In 1990, Lord Darzi moved to Britain to advance his career in surgery. He became a consultant surgeon at Central Middlesex Hospital in 1991. In 1994, he joined St Mary's Hospital, London and Imperial College London. He became a Professor at Imperial College in 1996.
He holds a special position as the Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery at Imperial College. He is also a consultant surgeon at St Mary's Hospital and the Royal Marsden Hospital. He has held many important roles in medical groups and research councils.
Lord Darzi is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is also a member of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He has received honorary fellowships from other important groups. These include the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine.
His main focus is on minimally invasive surgery. This type of surgery uses small cuts and special tools. He and his team are known worldwide for their work in this area. His research team studies many topics. These include medical imaging, robotics, and patient safety. They also work on training new surgeons.
Lord Darzi has written many research papers and books. His work has won international awards. These include the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2001. In 2006, his department won an award for their work on surgical robots.
In 2013, Lord Darzi was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists. He also believes that patients should have easy access to their medical records. He thinks this helps them manage their own health better.
Political Career
In 2006, Lord Darzi was asked to create a plan for London's healthcare. His report, Healthcare for London: A Framework for Action, was published in 2007. It suggested creating special health centers. It also recommended having more primary care services in one place.
He also advised the Department of Health on surgery. His report in 2007 suggested new ways to organize surgery. This was to help patients get the best care.
Lord Darzi became a member of the House of Lords in 2007. This is a special part of the UK Parliament. He was given the title Baron Darzi of Denham. In June 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown made him a minister in the Department of Health.
He was asked to lead a big review of the NHS. This review would plan the future of the NHS for ten years. His final report, High Quality Care for All, came out in 2008. It was praised for focusing on the quality of care. It moved the NHS away from just focusing on numbers.
In June 2009, Lord Darzi became a member of the Privy Council. This is a group of important advisors to the Queen. In July 2009, he left his role as a minister. The Prime Minister thanked him for his "outstanding contribution." Many felt he helped improve the NHS's spirit and public image.
Since 2018, Lord Darzi has led the NHS’s Accelerated Access Collaborative. This group helps new treatments and technologies reach patients faster.
In 2019, he left the Labour Party in the House of Lords. He chose to sit as an independent member. This means he does not belong to a political party.
In July 2024, Lord Darzi was asked to investigate how well the NHS was performing. His report in September 2024 said the NHS was in "critical condition." He noted that despite more money, waiting lists were growing. He also said that staff were wasting time due to a lack of beds. He stressed the need to improve how the NHS works. He also said more care should happen outside hospitals.
Armenian Issues
Lord Darzi has spoken out on issues important to Armenians. In 2016, he called for Armenia to create new development plans. These plans would help the country become more modern and secure.
In 2019, he wrote about the Armenian genocide. This was a terrible event in 1915 where many Armenians died. He expressed sadness that the British government had not officially recognized it. He felt this was because of fears of upsetting Turkey.
Global Health and Innovation
After leaving his government role in 2009, Lord Darzi focused more on global health. In 2010, he became Chairman of the Institute for Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London. This group works to improve healthcare worldwide. It also aims to reduce health differences between countries.
From 2010 to 2012, he was a UK Global Ambassador for Health and Life Sciences. In 2012, his institute hosted a big health summit in London. Many global healthcare leaders attended this event.
In 2013, the Mayor of London asked Lord Darzi to review health in London. His report in 2014 suggested strong actions to fight obesity. These included giving schools ratings for promoting healthy eating. He also suggested that restaurants should show calorie warnings on menus.
He also hosted the World Innovation Summit for Health in Qatar in 2013. This event brought together many important people. These included leaders from industry, universities, and healthcare.
Lord Darzi has also helped doctors in Armenia. He has run training courses there. He has also helped Armenian doctors come to London for training. He has even performed surgeries in Armenia and provided hospitals with equipment.
Other Activities
Lord Darzi has been involved in other important activities. In 2019, he helped with the release of two journalists from Myanmar. He worked with Amal Clooney on this.
In 2021, he helped create an advertisement for the COVID-19 vaccine in the UK. This ad featured famous people like Elton John and Michael Caine.
Non-profit Organizations
Lord Darzi is a member of several non-profit organizations. These include:
- Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF)
- Aurora Prize (which recognizes humanitarian efforts)
- Community Jameel
- Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- MIT Jameel Clinic
- Rangoon General Hospital Reinvigoration Charitable Trust
- Qatar Foundation
- Sidra Medical and Research Center
Awards and Honours
In 2002, Lord Darzi was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). This was for his great work in medicine and surgery. In 2007, he became a Life Peer as Baron Darzi of Denham.
He received the Hamdan Award for Medical Research Excellence in 2004. This was for his work in minimally invasive surgery.
In 2014, he received the Qatari Sash of Independence. This was for his help in developing Qatar's health sector. In 2015, he was named one of the most influential people in the English NHS.
In 2016, he was appointed to the Order of Merit. This is a very special honor given for outstanding service.
He was chosen to carry the Royal Armills at the 2023 Coronation of King Charles III.
