Ms Mary Day:

In regard to the resources that have gone in, the winter plan is at its finalisation stage, so additional resources have gone into that winter plan which we know we require. In regard to capital and infrastructure, Ms Cowan has highlighted during the meeting that there is a mismatch of demand and capacity, which I would argue there is across the health system when we look at other groups and hospitals. What bears looking at is the whole health planning piece of work, looking at demographics, profiling, increased demand and where we need to develop additional capacity. That is all work in progress.

In regard to immediate additional resources, I have been in the service for a number of years, like Professor Cowan, and I am just coming into this role. I can tell the committee that the summer we have experienced has been as bad as any winter when we look at the increased activity numbers. Attendances are up 5.2% when compared to 2019 and we look especially at the increase for those aged over 75, where that mismatch of demand and capacity becomes more stark each year.