Dr. Kathleen MacLellan:

I will start and then hand over to my colleague, Mr. Redmond, followed by the HSE.

First, regarding those individuals who have lost loved ones in homes, all of us understand how difficult and how hard these last number of months have been. We are particularly committed to the recommendation within the expert panel report to build the advocacy services and ensure those individuals, families and residents have access to professional advocacy as we have seen has been provided through Sage Advocacy and the patient advocacy service. It is available across our acute hospitals and we are working to extend that out into the community as well.

Regarding the staffing, we are committed and the chief nurse within the Department has commenced the implementation of the safe staffing framework. Phase one of the safe staffing framework has been in acute hospitals, phase two in the emergency departments and phase three now is in older people settings. There has been significant evidence-based learning across older people settings with regard to staffing and the care needs of those older people. It is now being progressed through a draft guidance framework which is with the HSE and will be tested over the next number of weeks with a view to having that guidance on safe staffing available for the winter period. I will pass over to my colleague, Mr. Redmond, on the regulatory piece that was raised.