Robin Swann: 'I can be MP candidate and health minister'

Robin Swann is a former Ulster Unionist Party leader

The health minister has confirmed he will be running as the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) candidate in South Antrim in the next Westminster election.

Robin Swann said running for elections was "what politicians do" and he would be able to carry out both roles.

UUP leader Doug Beattie previously said Mr Swann could be withdrawn as health minister or as a Westminster candidate.

Mr Swann said both men had "moved on" and his focus was being a minister.

He added that both accepted that "politics can be heated and passionate".

• 'Decision to make over health minister' - Beattie

• Robin Swann lined up for South Antrim election bid

Speaking to BBC News NI for the first time since becoming health minister for a second time, Mr Swann said "party politics must be taken out of health" in order for it to progress.

"There will always be politics, there will always be differences of opinion, we have done it before and when parties fall out with each other over other things its important they don't bring their arguments into health," he said.

On being health minister and canvassing to become an MP, Robin Swann said other assembly members would be in a similar position.

He pointed out the a date had yet to be set for the general election, but said he was and would remain 100% dedicated to the job of health minister, adding he would "do both roles well."

Mr Swann, a former UUP leader, said being the only UUP politician around the executive table was not a bad thing

He should whoever was there as "a single UUP health minister" would approach the job honestly and not play party politics.

Pay disputes

The Department of Health receives one of the largest budget allocations in Northern Ireland - £7.3bn for the 2023-24 financial year - about half of all departmental spending.

In January, thousands of health care workers took part in 24 hours of industrial action over pay.

Mr Swann said he was continuing to meet unions in an effort to resolve the ongoing pay issues and that his focus in on making sure all health care workers were "properly recompensed".

He said unless funding changed significantly, health could be facing a £1bn deficit, which would have an impact on what services could be delivered.

He said how Northern Ireland was funded needed to be addressed differently as departments needed to work with a recurrent budget and not just from year to year.

He said Northern Ireland had 12 years of catch-up after being underfunded.

He also announced an independent body of experts would be brought in to review the administrative side of Northern Ireland's health service.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) team has previously been tasked with looking at orthopaedic and gynaecology services here.

Mr Swann said their focus would now be "to look at the overheads, the management, the back office and the efficiency programmes that are already running".

"We need to be open and transparent", he said, "that accountability has to start within the department and our trusts".

Women's health plan

Mr Swann also confirmed a Women's Health Action Plan which would pave the way for a Women's Health Strategy.

He said it would help bring together all parts of women's health across the system and he and his team would listen to women's voices to hear how that strategy should be shaped.

"We are putting women at the centre of these discussions and making sure the action plan is up and running as soon as possible," he said.

Comparing it to the Mental Health Action Plan which preceded the Mental Health Strategy, Mr Swann said it was important to listen, agree on what services are required and then fund them accordingly.