Dr. Kathleen MacLellan:

The staffing framework has been committed through the Department. The Deputy may know that this has been completed in the acute hospitals and the emergency departments. The next phase of that is with the long-term residential care. The evidence review is under way on that and guidance has been developed which will be worked through across the nursing homes to test it in the coming period.

In addition, the nursing home expert panel report has recommended an audit of staffing levels across all nursing homes and that HIQA would conduct that.