UUP leader Jon Burrows is set to name the next Stormont health minister later.
The announcement comes after former health minister Mike Nesbitt resigned amid a fallout with Mr 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 introducing a second red line, adding he was not going to be a minister who learned about his party leader’s views on key issues through the media.
Speaking to media at Stormont on Wednesday, Mr Burrows said he was “disappointed” Mr Nesbitt decided to resign and insisted he had still been “prepared to work” with him as minister.
He said he would name the next health minister in the next 24 hours and declined to rule himself out of contention for the now vacant portfolio – despite doing so when he first took on the leadership role at the start of the year.
The DUP would be the next party in line to nominate if the UUP declined to do so.
A number of health bodies have expressed alarm at the resignation, describing it as coming at a “particularly challenging time” for the health service.
Roisin Coulter, chairwoman of the NI Confederation for Health and Social Care, urged the next minister to continue to back the Department of Health’s reset plan, which she said is “overwhelmingly supported by our members”.
An emergency meeting of the Assembly’s Health Committee has also been convened for Thursday afternoon when senior officials within the Department of Health will face questions from MLAs.
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