Mr. Peter Hughes:

The first page of the two-page graph shows the system, which comprises 15 steps to get it to Health Business Services, HBS, which is the national recruiter, to put in the job order to state this is a vacant post. The expression of interest is then signed and it goes out to everyone on the panel, if there is one, and this whole process takes time. We need to look at the local and national processes. Delegated authority needs to come down to the directors of nursing. If there is a need for one other layer that would be it. The director of nursing is the person closest to the people working on the ground who knows a nurse is needed.

We have to plan and not wait until the person leaving is already off the books. The day the person goes out the door is the day he or she needs to be replaced. If that person has time to take or has given six or eight weeks' notice he or she has to be replaced on the day of leaving. This is not happening. The vacancy is often covered with agency staff and overtime but why wait? Why use those resources when we could have someone in permanently? This frustration gets to the nurses.

I will go back to Deputy Buckley's statement on 500 vacancies. We have 500 vacancies at present, with 1,750 retirements in four years.