Dr. Colm Henry:

Much of its work is to engage with protocols. The treatments and care pathways for many of the diseases are well defined. It is currently run largely by public health consultants. The director of acute hospitals, Liam Woods, recently met the director of the well-being division, because there is recognition that the public health consultants need more specialist support in arbitrating on treatments, especially for rarer conditions. Our division is working with the well-being division to decide how we can give them access to timely, specialist support for conditions that are not protocol-driven, for which answers are required in a much more timely way.