Susan Deacon was the first health minister under devolution

Mrs Deacon is taking up the post of professor of social change at Edinburgh's Queen Margaret University later this month.

She announced last year that she was not standing again as Labour's candidate for the Edinburgh East and Musselburgh constituency.

Professor Deacon served for more than two years as health minister from 1999.

As a senior policy maker and, more recently, as an incisive commentator and critic, she will bring rigour and dynamism to this activity Professor Anthony Cohen Queen Margaret University

She said on Wednesday: "I have long been impressed by the university's work both as a provider of high quality education and as a dynamic and forward thinking organisation.

"I consider it a great privilege to have this opportunity to work with Queen Margaret at such an exciting stage in their development.

"We live in a complex and fast moving world. Scotland has a wealth of talent, knowledge and experience and is well placed to develop new ways of thinking and practice."

As professor of social change, she will lead plans for the development of a forum for social change to be launched in the autumn when the university moves to its new purpose-built campus at Craighall.

'Complement team'

It aims to inform and influence both policy and practice in Scotland and beyond by providing a range of opportunities for individuals and organisations from the private, public and voluntary sectors to bring together their ideas and experience.

Professor Anthony Cohen, Queen Margaret's principal and vice chancellor, said he was delighted to recruit Professor Deacon.

He said: "As a senior policy maker and, more recently, as an incisive commentator and critic, she will bring rigour and dynamism to this activity.