§ 40. Mr. RENDALLasked the Under-Secretary for War what is the number of patients assigned to each nurse in an Army hospital under peace conditions; whether the same number is still being assigned to each nurse, notwithstanding the altered conditions and the constant and unwearied attention required by many of the wounded patients, particularly the tetanus cases; and whether, as all the best orderlies have been sent to the Front and far greater burdens have thereby been placed on the nurses, he will take advantage of the services of the many nurses anxious to serve their country and thereby give to the wounded patients the perfect attention which they deserve?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe nursing staff of all the military hospitals have been largely increased since the beginning of the War according to need and without any regard to peace establishment, and are still being increased daily as need arises. Any patient requiring individual attention has a special nurse allotted. The committee of the Nursing Board meets every week at the War Office to 323 consider applications of trained nurses, and these are taken on as their services are required. The patients are now receiving all the nursing attention which the rature of their cases demands.
§ Mr. RENDALLCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the same number of patients are assigned to a nurse during war as during peace?
§ Mr. TENNANTI cannot say, but I will make inquiry.