Mr. Bernard Gloster:

I could not agree with the Deputy more. I think we are better off CDNT-wise than we were 18 months ago or even when I came into this role just under three years ago. The Government has committed further funding next year. The difficulty is the supply of the workforce. In most CDNTs, the core therapies are speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Every part of the health service is recruiting those professionals. Disability services are a very complex area of work and it is harder. I have looked at ways to see if can we do better retention and career opportunities for people within it. The situation is better but I would have to be fair and say to the Deputy that we are a long way off where we need to be in responding to children's disability services. I recently tendered for private services to support the public services while we are building capacity. I am hoping that will help a little. Children are waiting for these services, and this is perhaps the part of the health service that I am most sad about. We just have not responded well at the level we should be able to respond to.