In his resignation letter on Tuesday, Nesbitt said that when Burrows became party leader, he told him his “one ‘red line'” was puberty blockers and his “opposition to Northern Ireland participating in the Pathways trial”.
In a copy of the letter he sent to Burrows, posted on social media, external, Nesbitt said the party leader had now “introduced a second red line” regarding the EGS at Causeway Hospital, and that he only came to know this due to media reports.
He added: “Yesterday, I offered you a way to manage this situation. As I have not received a timely response and given the shock waves you have created in the HSC system, this matter needs resolved.”
Last week Burrows, who is a North Antrim MLA, told a town hall meeting that he did not support emergency general surgery (EGS) being moved from Causeway Hospital.
The Northern Health Trust previously recommended that EGS should only be provided at one of its hospital sites and that the service should move to Antrim.
It is understood the Department of Health (DoH) was still waiting for a final recommendation to come from the minister.
Speaking on Wednesday, after the resignation, Burrows acknowledged the need for reform but said “how we deliver reform is every bit as important as what we ultimately decide”.
He said “safe, sustainable services,” are the priority and reform must also address “health inequalities and regional imbalance, and recognise that people in different parts of Northern Ireland do not currently enjoy equal access to timely healthcare”.
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