The Minister for Health and Children established the national task force on medical staffing to prepare and cost an implementation plan for a new approach to hospital services, based on appropriately trained doctors providing patients with the highest quality service. The task force is chaired by Mr. David Hanley. The key work of the task force is: to oversee the implementation of detailed strategies for reducing the working hours of non-consultant hospital doctors so that the 48 hour working week is achieved by 1 August 2009 and 58 hours by 1 August 2004; address the associated medical staffing needs of the hospital system; analyse the practicalities and estimate the costs that would arise if a consultant-provided, rather than a consultant-led, system was in place; and consider the medical education and training requirements arising from any changes to the current model of delivering services.