Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler has been announced as Stormont’s new health minister.
The appointment of the Lagan Valley representative comes after Mike Nesbitt resigned from the post amid a fallout with UUP leader Jon Burrows over the proposed withdrawal of emergency general surgery from Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, Co Londonderry.
Mr Burrows said he did not support the removal of the services during a townhall meeting last week, making clear his opposition to the plan recommended by health trust bosses.
Mr Nesbitt, who had not yet confirmed whether he was going to push ahead with the withdrawal proposal, responded with a hard-hitting resignation letter.
The Strangford MLA accused Mr Burrows of imposing a “red line” over the proposed hospital reconfiguration plan, adding he was not going to be a minister who learned about his party leader’s views on key issues through the media.
Mr Butler is a former deputy leader of the UUP who worked as a firefighter prior to entering politics.
He was accompanied by Mr Burrows as he entered Speaker Edwin Poots’s office at Parliament Buildings to sign the pledge of office just before 1.30pm on Thursday.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Butler said: “This is an enormous responsibility, but it is one I take on with determination and optimism.
“There is no time to waste.
“I am ready to get to work.
“I want Northern Ireland to have a world-class health service that people can access more quickly.
“When you are dealing with people’s lives, health and wellbeing, decisions must be guided by clinical evidence, by the experience of those on the front line, by the needs of patients and by the confidence of communities right across Northern Ireland.
“There should always be one objective: to make things better for everyone.
“That is exactly the approach I will bring to this role.
“I take on this role with no illusions about the scale of the challenge.
“Too many people are waiting too long for care, too many staff are working under relentless pressure and too many parts of our system are struggling to meet the needs being placed upon them.
“Those problems will not be solved overnight – and I will not insult people by pretending otherwise – but neither will I accept that they are inevitable.
“I will bring urgency, curiosity and a willingness to challenge where I believe it is necessary.
“Improvement and meaningful reform cannot simply be discussed in strategies or measured by changes to structures.
“People should be able to see and feel the difference in the care they receive.”
Mr Burrows said he has “full confidence” in his party colleague.
In a statement, he said: “I said yesterday that we would move at pace to provide the leadership our health service requires, and today we have done exactly that.
“He (Mr Butler) has my full confidence and the full backing of our Assembly team.
“The role of health minister is bigger than any one individual or party.
“At moments when the Executive has faced its most demanding challenges, this party has stepped forward, and we do so again today.
“Our commitment to patients, to health and social care staff, and to meaningful reform remains unbroken.
“Our health service can deliver outstanding care.
“The challenge is ensuring people can access it more quickly, whether that is a GP appointment, an ambulance response, a diagnostic scan, consultant care or surgery.
“We will work with urgency to build a safer, faster, fairer and more sustainable health service, one that is quicker to access and delivers for everyone, no matter where they live in Northern Ireland.
“That is the Northern Ireland we work for.”
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