Northern Ireland's Covid Response Under Scrutiny in UK Inquiry

Former Health Minister Robin Swann defends decisions on hospital sites and resuscitation orders during the pandemic.

Robin Swann, former health minister, stated there was no blanket do-not-resuscitate order in Northern Ireland during the Covid pandemic.
Swann emphasized that the increased use of DNACPR orders was not a blanket response but was applied appropriately based on feedback from officials.
The decision to place the Covid Nightingale hospital in Belfast City Hospital's tower block was due to logistical constraints, not a lack of planning, according to Swann.
Alternative sites like the Eikon Exhibition Centre were considered but deemed unsuitable due to the extensive work required to transform them into medical facilities.
Swann acknowledged that the pandemic's impact on Northern Ireland's health services was exacerbated by pre-existing strains on the system.