27. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, in connection with the appeal for all trained nurses, assistant nurses and auxiliary nurses who are not already working in hospitals, made by the Ministry of Information, many willing applicants have been unable to have their services utilised; and what steps he is taking to utilise their services?
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Malcolm MacDonald)The appeal to which my hon. Friend refers was for women prepared to register for whole-time service 227 in any casualty hospital to which they might be sent—that is, for mobile whole-time nurses. Applications from such women are being rapidly dealt with, and the accepted applicants posted to hospitals where their services are required. Women prepared to serve only in their own localities necessarily have to wait until work is available for them in those localities. If they were willing to transfer to whole-time service wherever required, their services could be utilised.
Mr. De la BèreDoes not the Minister realise that what is wanted is a central department to sort out these cases so as to regulate the supply and the demand?
§ Mr. MacDonaldThat is exactly the machinery which we are now setting up.
§ Mr. MacDonaldWe are doing it as rapidly as possible.