Robin Swann is stepping down as Northern Ireland’s Health Minister

Mr Swann is currently a candidate for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in South Antrim and hopes to take the Westminster seat from Democratic Unionist Party MP Paul Girvan at the next election.

“We need a voice in Westminster that actually understands the health of Northern Ireland”

Robin Swan

Politicians in Northern Ireland have been banned from ‘double jobbing’ – holding seats in both Stormont and Westminster – since 2016.

As a result, in a bid to realize his ambition, Mr Swann has confirmed that he will resign as Northern Ireland’s Health Secretary and leave the country’s executive once the general election campaign begins.

He told BBC’s Sunday Politics Northern Ireland that while he was committed to his current role, he would not stay until election day.

Mr Swann said: “It would not be my intention to stay until election day because ‘purdah’ will start and there will be other stages as well.

“So that decision will be made long before election day is declared, it will be something that will be made by my party leader.”

Although a date for the general election has yet to be confirmed, the Prime Minister has indicated that it will take place some time later this year.

Swann said it would “not be fair” to remain health minister during the election campaign.

He added that it would be “rational” for his UUP party colleague, Mike Nesbitt, to replace him. Mr Nesbitt has recently been appointed as Mr Swann’s private secretary and will commence in this role shortly.

Mr Swann was reappointed as Northern Ireland’s health minister in February, after the assembly and executive powers were restored and power-sharing was restored in the country.

He previously held this position between January 2020 and October 2022, supporting the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following his reappointment, Mr Swann warned that Northern Ireland’s health and social care services (HSC) were under enormous pressure, facing chronic staff shortages and financial pressure.

He has since unveiled a series of plans and measures to try to remove some of the pressures facing services.

For example, his reappointment ensured that, after serious delays, nurses and other HSC staff received a pay offer for the period 2023-2024. Although not accepted by all unions, the deal will be implemented.

Meanwhile, Mr Swann has also unveiled proposals involving the use of specialist nursing roles as a key solution to tackling Northern Ireland’s growing waiting list.

However, other plans for HSC services in the pipeline have had to be put on hold due to budget pressures, including proposals for free parking at hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Despite his intention to fight for a seat at Westminster, Swann told the BBC that health minister remains his priority for now.

He said: “Being Health Minister is my priority. I wouldn’t have returned to office if it wasn’t about what I want to do, what I see we can do.”

Mr Swann said Northern Ireland needs an MP at Westminster with experience of the country’s biggest health challenges.

“We need a voice in Westminster who actually understands healthcare in Northern Ireland, and who can make this statement in the best way we can make it,” he added.