Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

First and foremost, it is a feature of underinvestment over many years in the training of advanced nurse practitioners. We should remember that in 2013 there was a moratorium on recruitment. Ms McGowan, who is in the committee room today, is an advanced nurse practitioner and to get to that level takes an investment of nearly seven years. Recruitment must be featured around investing in advancement for those who are in post currently but we have never done that. We have never had a recruitment policy that goes beyond one year. Currently, if a director of nursing has notification that somebody is going on maternity leave, retiring or resigning, it can take up to six months to replace that post. That does not mean there is a workforce plan that is investing in building for the future.

The Minister has recently announced an increase in advanced nurse practitioner posts for the community for the management of chronic disease. There is some good work starting in the Department of Health in respect of virtual wards and bringing that care out of hospital into people's homes.