§ 32. Mr. Price-Whiteasked the Minister of Health if he has considered the representations made to him regarding the present shortage of nursing and domestic staffs in isolation and public hospitals in North Wales; and if he has any proposals for remedying such shortage so that the authorities responsible for the conduct of such institutions may be enabled adequately to fulfil the public service for which these institutions were intended.
§ Mr. BevanYes, Sir. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and I are doing all we can to increase recruitment by the improvement of pay and working conditions, publicity campaigns and other similar measures.
§ Mr. PriceWhilst I do not suggest that the problems in hospitals are any worse in any one part of the country, I would ask the Minister in conjunction with his colleagues to give early attention to the North Wales hospitals where two or three are in danger of closing.
§ Sir Waldron SmithersIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the supply of nurses and domestic staff in Kent is very short of requirements, and will he pay special attention to that?
§ Mr. BevanI know that there is a general shortage all over the country. 1944 That is not because we have fewer nurses than we had before—indeed, we have many more than we had before—but because the standards are constantly rising.