‘Anxious wait’ faced by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots for cancer surgery shows need to rebuild NI health service, says NI Health Minister Robin Swann

Mr Poots revealed in the News Letter yesterday that he is fighting a battle with cancer after a tumour in his right kidney was discovered, but still has no date for surgery.

Mr Swann said: “I want to send my best wishes to my Executive colleague Edwin Poots and his family following his cancer diagnosis.

“As we know he is sadly not the only one anxiously waiting for surgery. It is a matter of great distress not just for me but for everyone involved in health care that cancer services have been adversely affected by this pandemic.”

He continued: “It is hugely regrettable there has been an impact on such key services.

“We need to do all that we can to put that right. We need to rebuild our health service and that includes pushing down Covid infection rates to protect non-Covid services.

“Rebuilding cancer services is not about going back to where we were in 2020.

“When we get through this pandemic – and we will – we will have a monumental task on our hands to reconstruct our health and social care service.”

He added: “Rebuilding will require significant and long-term investment.”