I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 361 together.
I am hugely committed to supporting the nursing
and midwifery
workforce and
progressing full implementation of the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix continues to be a priority for me.
Between the budget 2024 allocation and conversion of agency costs it is intended to recruit more than two thousand more healthcare workers in 2024. This includes nurses and healthcare assistants for implementation of the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing in all hospitals.