HC Deb 01 October 1942 vol 383 c921
54. Mr. Norman Bower

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the excessive hours at present being worked by nurses in voluntary hospitals; and whether in view of the discouraging effect which this state of affairs is having on girls who would otherwise wish to enter the nursing profession, and the likelihood that in the event of heavy war casualties the hospitals will find themselves seriously understaffed, he will take steps to impose on the voluntary hospitals the obligation to reduce the hours and otherwise improve the conditions of the nurses in their employ in all cases in which they are at present unsatisfactory?

Mr. E. Brown

I am aware that in some hospitals and in times of special pressure the hours of duty are longer than is generally considered desirable in peace time. The shortage of nurses at the present time inevitably prevents some of the hospital authorities from reducing the hours as they would like. Consideration of this question falls within the scope of the Nurses' Salaries Committee, which is now sitting under the chairmanship of Lord Rushcliffe.

Commander Locker-Lampson

Are not nurses continuing to be overworked and underpaid?

Mr. Brown

That is what the committee has been set up to consider.