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Burnham is new health secretary Burnham is new health secretary
(11 minutes later)
Andy Burnham has been named as the new health secretary.Andy Burnham has been named as the new health secretary.
He replaces Alan Johnson, who has moved to the role of home secretary in Gordon Brown's cabinet reshuffle.He replaces Alan Johnson, who has moved to the role of home secretary in Gordon Brown's cabinet reshuffle.
Mr Burnham moves from his post as culture secretary. Earlier this year he was heckled when he attended the Hillsborough memorial service.Mr Burnham moves from his post as culture secretary. Earlier this year he was heckled when he attended the Hillsborough memorial service.
Doctors' leaders said his biggest challenge would be to stop the "destabilising influence of spreading commercialisation" in the NHS.Doctors' leaders said his biggest challenge would be to stop the "destabilising influence of spreading commercialisation" in the NHS.
In the next 12 months, the new health secretary will face some very serious challenges as the NHS prepares for a major squeeze in its funding Steve BarnettNHS Confederation
Mr Burnham was elected in 2001 as MP for the safe Labour seat of Leigh in Greater Manchester, close to his native Merseyside.
While working as a health minister in 2006, he floated the idea of an NHS constitution. Prime Minister Gordon Brown later adopted the idea.
He also spent time on the "NHS frontline", when he shadowed a GP, a porter, a cleaner and a psychiatric nurse to learn more about life in the health service.
But he had unpleasant moments in the job too, being heckled and booed at the Unison union conference in 2007.
Mr Burnham was formerly a special adviser at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, parliamentary private secretary to David Blunkett and chief secretary at the Treasury under Chancellor Alistair Darling.
Major challenges
Health groups said the new health secretary would have to deal with major issues.
A spokesman for the British Medical Association said: "The NHS faces huge challenges that the incoming health secretary will need to deal with as a matter of urgency.
"All aspects of the health service are under pressure from the destabilising influence of spreading commercialisation, which threatens to move the NHS away from its founding principles of being publicly funded, publicly provided and publicly accountable.
"We would urge the government to re-examine its policies before further damage is done to patient services.
"The health service also faces uncertainty over the implementation of the European Working Time Directive, which will introduce a 48-hour working week for junior doctors in August.
"There is evidence that the NHS is not prepared for the impact this will have on junior doctor training. The new health secretary must get a grip on this issue from the moment he or she takes office."
NHS Confederation chief executive Steve Barnett said: "In the next 12 months, the new health secretary will face some very serious challenges as the NHS prepares for a major squeeze in its funding.
"We look forward to working with the new secretary to ensure that the NHS carries on providing what really matters - world class treatment for patients and a health service we can all feel proud of."