Dr. Gabrielle Colleran:

It is both. We do not have enough consultants. We field half a team every day and we do amazingly well for the number we have. However, as we have the lowest number of consultants per capita, it affects how early people can be seen in outpatient settings. We just do not have enough staff on the team. Equipment is also an issue, as we have highlighted many times. We need enough investment so that we have the most up-to-date machinery. We always need to fight for a new CT scanners and new MRI scanners. The MRI scanner in Temple Street Hospital is 22 years old this year and is on its last legs. Many scanners around the country are like that.

The standard of care in other European countries is such that they would be automatically replaced after ten years. We constantly need to fight for things that are routine in other countries. Of course, if we do not have enough staff and if our equipment is out of date, and if we do not have enough equipment or enough staff, that will impact access. Everybody having access within six weeks feels like a pipe dream at the moment.