A key element of the work of the task force is the study of a number of pilot sites to assess the nature and practical implications of the changes required. It was decided that it would be necessary to examine the staffing and functioning of a large general teaching hospital in its capacity as the regional centre for a health board area with a population of 300,000. In this context, two sites were selected, the East Coast Area Health Board and the Mid-Western Health Board and the hospitals located in their two health board areas.