§ 2. Mr. Ronald Bellasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the shortage of nurses in the area of the Windsor Group Hospital Management Committee; and what steps are being taken to deal with it.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganYes, Sir. The shortage at 31st March last was about 13 per cent. of the approved establishment. The hospital management committee is advertising locally for nursing staff.
§ 29. Mr. W. R. Williamsasked the Minister of Health what action he proposes to take to bring the nursing staff 860 in hospitals under the control of the Manchester Regional Hospital Board up to the authorised establishment.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganEnergetic measures are being taken by the board and the nursing appointments offices of the Ministry of Labour and National Service to publicise the need for nurses and the attractions of a nursing career. These measures include visits of the mobile nursing exhibition, displays of the mental health exhibition and talks on nursing to senior pupils at schools and to adult organisations.
§ Mr. WilliamsI thank the hon. Gentleman for that valuable information, but is he aware that within a radius of 12 miles of the centre of Manchester there is a population of more than 2¼million? Does he not agree that a shortage of more than 800 in nursing staff in a highly industrialised area such as this is sufficiently serious to warrant his personal attention, and will he give that?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganIt is probably the factor of population which has led the regional hospital board to arrange for the nursing exhibition to tour the Manchester area this year. The exhibition visited seven towns in May and is touring eight further towns in September and October.
§ Dr. SummerskillBesides advertising the advantages of nursing, will the hon. Gentleman make a special effort to examine conditions and accommodation in which these women work? It may then be discovered why girls in this area are not attracted to the profession.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganI will certainly draw the attention of the regional hospital board to that.
§ Mr. W. GriffithsIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the matrons of two hospitals in Manchester, Crumpsall Hospital and Withington Hospital, have been instructed not to recruit more nurses because the board is not in a position to meet their salaries? What does he say about that?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganEven if it is true, which I do not know, against that should be set the fact that the board's nursing staff increased in the last year by 344.
§ Mr. WilliamsMay I press the hon. Gentleman on this matter, which is regarded with great concern in Manchester? Will he examine it again, because in Manchester it is believed that inadequate finances have been directly responsible for the shortage of nursing staff?
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganAs I said in reply to a Question last week, the financial allocation is sufficient to maintain services at the level of last year and to provide for a measure of development and improvement. It is for the board to assess its priorities—this among others.