Robin Swann asked by DUP after his cancer deaths warning: What preparations did you make for winter pressures?

The DUP has challenged Health Minister Robin Swann to explain what preparations his department made for winter pressures, after he said that cancer patients might die because no hospital would turn away a Covid patient.

Mr Swann said the “black and white” reality was that the NHS would not turn away people with coronavirus requiring admission to hospital – but that other services were being cut as a consequence.

The UUP MLA admitted that he was “heartbroken” that nurses and doctors were having to make ethical decisions between Covid patients and very sick patients with other conditions.

He added that over 400 hospital beds are being used by Covid patients and reflecting on whether they could turn a Covid patient away, he said “no”. Asked if he meant that a cancer patient may therefore die, he replied: “Yeah, that is as black and white as it is.”

But DUP Health spokesperson Pam Cameron, who is also Vice Chair of the Health Committee, called on Mr Swann to make a statement in the Assembly on Monday on what steps his Department took to prepare for winter pressures.

Mrs Cameron said: “I am deeply concerned by this latest comment from the Health Minister. It is morally wrong to tell someone seriously ill with cancer that they will have to wait because someone with Covid-19 is being given priority.

“I am deeply concerned by this latest comment from the Health Minister. It is morally wrong to tell someone seriously ill with cancer that they will have to wait because someone with covid-19 is being given priority.

The Minister must make an urgent statement to the Assembly on Monday to outline what actions his Department has taken since the end of the first wave to prepare the Health Service to deal with annual winter pressures as well as covid-19 patients.

“The DUP has been raising this matter with the Department since early summer. We warned of a future wave and the need for planning. It seems such planning was not put in place.

“The Minister must set out exactly what steps have been taken. We have asked the Minister to outline what additional resources are needed and we have also urged him to make use of Mutual Aid from the rest of the UK but so far nothing has been presented.”

Cancelling other care for Covid patients is “unjust” she added.