Ms Ashley Connolly:

The majority of them are filling permanent posts. Particular hospitals had to bring in agency workers because they were not allowed to recruit. They applied for derogations via their management streams and requested replacements of clerical officers and grave IV administrative officers. They never received responses, but they had to manage their accident and emergency desks or clinics. A high proportion of those 10,000 are filling vacant posts to try to keep the system running. One of my colleagues might be able to elaborate on the reality in terms of the number of vacancies.