Ms Geraldine Gleeson:

They are full-time doctors and not recruited unless they have significant experience as medical practitioners. Often they have other qualifications also, such as paediatrics or psychiatry. They are well qualified. With regard to their decisions, I am sure if the chief medical officer was here, he would inform the Deputy he makes great efforts to ensure consistency across the medical cadre. That effort continues, but I suppose there will always be some inconsistencies and some cases, such as the Deputy described, will get through. One might wonder how on earth some are accepted, and we have come across such cases ourselves.