Mr. Robert Watt:

-----and the likely or prospective demand based on any reasonable assessment of demand given our demography. Many of the areas the Chair has spoken about this morning can be driven by demography and other factors can impact on the demand. Something that I have focused on, and Mr. Reid is very much aware of this as we have had many conversations about this, is for us to have better workforce planning and align the educational attainment and the number of people doing undergraduate training and then placements after their undergraduate training in the hospital system. I know the committee is stuck for time so we can circulate a note showing the different areas where we have increased and are increasing the numbers. For example, from September, the number of medical undergraduates will be increased by about 60 and there are plans to increase it further.

The Minister for Health and the Minister, Deputy Harris, are working on this. We have engaged with the medical schools. We are now thinking of what to do about the dentistry schools and a proposal is with us. It is an historical issue and we can start to address it now to improve the situation in four, five or six years. As Mr. Reid mentioned earlier, in the interim, we have to retain the people in the system.