HC Deb 28 November 1946 vol 430 c1771
32. Captain Bullock

asked the Minister of Health if he proposes to have libraries for patients and for the hospital staff in all hospitals in future; if there will be paid and trained librarians in all the larger hospitals; and if these librarians will become part of the hospital staff.

Mr. Bevan

I hope to see library facilities developed in all hospitals within the National Health Service as and when possible. But the details will have to be worked out at a later stage by the regional hospital boards and hospital management committees.

Captain Bullock

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise the importance of trained librarians in the rehabilitation side of hospital work, and will he be prepared to use the facilities of the county libraries for the training of librarians for the hospitals?

Mr. Bevan

I hope it will be possible to make arrangements so that we do not have as many dead books as there are at the present time and so that there will be a large number of points at which books are available to readers. These hospital libraries will be very valuable centres.