Thank you for that information.
I came across an article the other day, reprinted below, and wonder if this could be a solution?


Instead of the character-specific skills from the first game, you have a generic list of skills to work with, and as you fight and adventure around, you'll acquire class and skill points that let you learn more and more abilities, with a small amount of character exclusive abilities. In one way, this lets everyone learn the vital spells like Medica/2/All, status effect recovery, and revivals. Considering how challenging the game can be at times, having more people able to use these vital skills, the better. Those skills come in handy since there's no money in the game, nor shops to buy healing items. There's not even a need for Bio Spheres this time (they just restore everyone to full HP/MP), as walking into a save point restores you a la Final Fantasy X/X-2. Thus keeping MP high is essential since chances are your item inventory will be fairly small since you only find them off enemies and in hidden places. They do balance this pretty well, since if you use people not in battle in the camp screen, they can use their healing skills between encounters and actually recover MP.
(Extract from a review of Xenosaga Episode II)