Mr. Val Moran:

Dealing with the healthcare assistant role is definitely something we see as being achievable and that can increase capacity. Certain defined tasks, which we have spoken about previously such as electrocardiogram, ECG, and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, are things a healthcare assistant could do that might free up a nurse or a doctor to do something else. That is certainly something we would like to look at.

With regard to practice nurses, people progress within practices and different practices have different set-ups around that. There is a level of progression within a practice. If a nurse is there over a period of years, obviously, that is different to somebody just coming in. There are salary and career progressions so there is a system of sorts in place.