Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Robbie Butler has been appointed as Northern Ireland’s new Health Minister, promising to work toward a "world-class health service that people can access more quickly."
Butler succeeds Mike Nesbitt, who resigned after UUP leader Jon Burrows opposed proposals to remove emergency general surgery from Causeway Hospital.
Butler acknowledged the scale of the crisis facing the health service, stating that while issues "will not be solved overnight," he plans to focus heavily on frontline operations rather than working solely "from behind a desk."
The appointment comes amid mounting financial pressure, with Department of Health Permanent Secretary Mike Farrar warning Stormont's health committee that the department faces an unresolved deficit without an agreed long-term budget.
Opposition parties have urged the new minister to act swiftly to cut waiting times for patients and keep healthcare decisions focused on clinical outcomes.
