Mr. Barry O'Brien:

Currently, there are some outstanding posts still to be filled. It is fair to say the Government is planning a major reconfiguration by way of hospital groupings and subsequently moving to trusts.

Obviously, the whole clinical director model will be fundamental in providing governance and accountability as well as managing objectives, outcomes and a cohort of consultants. On that basis, no defined number has been agreed but we are looking for maximum efficiency. We are talking about the major acute hospital sites where they exist and, in the main, they exist on a programmatic approach.