HC Deb 07 March 1955 vol 538 cc16-7
42. Dr. Stross

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that at some hospitals trainee nurses are engaged for long periods on night duty; and what are the exact recommendations laid down by his regulations on this point.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

The Nurses Salaries Committee recommended that student nurses should not be employed continously on night duty for longer than three months. My right hon. Friend is aware that it may not always be possible to observe this recommendation. There are no other requirements on the subject.

Dr. Stross

Is the hon. Lady aware that the recommendation represents a sort of minimum? Will she take note of the fact that in some hospitals night nurses are working very many months more than three? They work three months, rest for a while, and then go on for another three months. Does the hon. Lady not agree that that is rather unsatisfactory?

Mis Hornsby-Smith

If the hon. Gentleman has any particular case in mind, we shall be glad to look into it. Under the regulations, there is a maximum of three months. They say that no student nurse should be employed on continuous night duty for longer than three months.

43. Dr. Stross

asked the Minister of Health the recommendations laid down by his regulations as to the time that is allocated for student nurses to attend lectures; and to what extent student nurses are expected to attend lectures in their free time.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

My right hon. Friend has made no regulation on the subject and thinks it best to leave the arrangements to the discretion of hospital management committees and boards of governors; but whenever possible student nurses should not, in his view, be expected to attend lectures in their free time.

Dr. Stross

Is the hon. Lady aware that some student nurses come off night duty and have to go on to lectures in their free time after a long night, and that in fact means that they are doing about 15 hours' duty out of the 24, both voluntary and involuntary? Will she not agree that this is unsatisfactory, as she has suggested?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

I quite agree that it is unsatisfactory if it happens too often. Sometimes there are very special lectures that these nurses have to attend for examination purposes. For some of the students those lectures must come in the off-duty hours, and it is unavoidable in those cases. We would like this to be kept to the minimum.