§ MR. TALBOT (Oxford University)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board what progress has been made in carrying out the requirements of the Board, expressed in their Order of August, 1897, urging boards of guardians to employ trained nurses only in their infirmaries: and whether it is within the knowledge of the Board that many boards of guardians have found great difficulty in obtaining the services of such nurses; and, if so, what steps the Local Government Board propose to take to supply them?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARDThe Order of August, 1897, provides that no person shall be appointed to the office of nurse without having had such practical experience in nursing as may render her a fit and proper person to hold the office. Since the issue of that Order there has been a decided improvement in the nursing arrangements in many of the workhouses, and of the nurses appointed an increasing proportion have been trained. I am aware that in consequence of the great demand for fully trained nurses many boards of guardians have found difficulty in obtaining the services of such nurses. The Local Government Board, however, have neither the duty nor the power to supply nurses for workhouses; but they are encouraging the training of probationer nurses at workhouses where adequate arrangements exist, who will increase the available supply, we hope, in the future.