Ms Vanessa Hetherington:

That issue of tiredness is something we are really concerned about among non-consultant hospital doctors, NCHDs. We long know that their contractual hours and requirements breach the European working time directive. Tiredness, fatigue and that risk of having an accident are well known. A recent survey we carried out showed that seven out of ten of all our doctors are showing signs of burn-out. It is actually higher among the NCHDs at eight out of ten.

Going back to those risks of understaffing that the Deputy was asking about-----