HC Deb 07 April 1943 vol 388 cc691-2
Mr. Messer

I beg to move, in page 12, line 32, at the end, to insert: and shall be entitled to the designation of State Registered Nurse. This is to cover the position of nurses whom it has been decided shall not go on to the register but on to the list. By putting them on the list it is bound to show that they are not State registered nurses. Are they assistant nurses? The right hon. Gentleman has not decided what they are. If they are qualified as State registered nurses, they should have the designation of State Registered Nurse. I do not know whether this problem has faced the Minister, but it seems to be a difficulty. These poor women are in a vacuum. They are suspended. They are neither fish, flesh, fowl nor good redherring. They are not assistant nurses and they are not State nurses and surely it is not intended to call them listed nurses, which means "black-listed" nurses. The Minister has declined to accept an Amendment to put them in the Bill, but I hope he will give them a designation.

Mr. E. Brown

I thought I made it clear in the general discussion that it was my intention under proviso (b) of Clause 6 (1) to designate them in order that they may be able to use the title of "nurse," so that they will not be left but, in the words of the old song, We've got them on the list And they never will be missed.

Mr. Messer

Does that mean that they will only be known as nurses? All other nurses will have a prefix, and these will be the only ones who will not have a prefix. There will be State registered nurse, tuberculosis nurse, fever nurse and children's nurse, but they will be only "nurse."

Mr. E. Brown

And very good too.

Amendment negatived.

Mr. Linstead

I beg to move, in page 12, line 35, to leave out "conclusive."

This is a consequential Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

Schedule, as amended, agreed to.

Bill reported, with Amendment; as amended, considered.