Speaking after the Ulster Unionist Party decision yesterday to once again take the Department of Health, reappointing Robin Swann MLA as the Health Minister, Party Leader Doug Beattie MC MLA commented:  

"The re-establishment of the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland is just the start of a process to deal with the issues affecting all of our people. There are indeed many challenges to face and many hurdles to overcome.

"On Saturday the Ulster Unionist Party, for the third time in recent years, chose to put ourselves into the front line of those challenges by again taking the Health department. The call I was receiving from the public and many health professionals was simple, we must hit the ground running. 

"With 2 years of a 5-year mandate already gone it was important we looked to experience to allow us to meet that challenge. This is the primary reason I looked towards Robin Swann to return to health. As the last health minister, Robin has an unrivalled understanding of the issues and is already well read into the department.

"Discussion in the medium to long term will of course take place. However, dealing with the here and now, public sector pay, workforce management, cancer care strategy as well as the elective care strategy needed a degree of experience. Robin Swann has that experience and I looked to him to hit the ground running which he has already done."

Notes:

The Department of Health today issued a press release that Minister Swann is already active in his role less than 24 hours after his reappointment - https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/health-minister-prioritises-pay-talks