HC Deb 01 May 1961 vol 639 cc892-3
27. Mr. P. Browne

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that there is a shortage of district nurses in North Devon; and if he will take steps to ensure that pay and conditions of district nurses are improved.

Miss Pitt

My right hon. Friend is aware of the shortage. The salaries and conditions of service of district nurses are matters for the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council.

Mr. Browne

Is my hon. Friend aware that in my part of the world, although a house is available in many cases and there has been a considerable amount of advertising, it has been impossible to get district nurses? Is not this a very serious situation? Cannot the hon. Lady or her right hon. Friend try to improve the conditions and pay? Is it not a fact that most of these people would rather go into the routine hospital service than the district nursing association in view of the increased expense of running a car and so on?

Miss Pitt

I am aware of the shortage in Devon, but it is the case that the Whitley Council reviewed the salaries of nurses and midwives in 1959 as well as the grading, and increases were given of 25 per cent. at the maximum to district nurses, who also benefited from the 5 per cent. increase in December last year.

28. Mr. P. Browne

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that there is a shortage of midwives in Devon, that one Bideford nursing home has had to close down and that there is a danger of a maternity hospital in the area closing shortly; and what further proposals he has for dealing with the situation.

Miss Pitt

A nursing home has closed temporarily owing to staff sickness, but cases booked there have been accepted elsewhere. Vacancies for the matron and midwife at Torrington Cottage Hospital which has four maternity beds, arise at the end of May, and the posts have been advertised.

Mr. Browne

This does not help very much. Is my hon. Friend aware that one midwife whom I know in my constituency worked for 72 hours and was paid for a 48-hour week and chat she left this hospital because the Whitley Committee said that she could not be paid for the overtime? Is it not time that something was done about this? Has my hon. Friend had an answer to the memorandum sent out to the hospital authorities, which she mentioned in reply to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Ripon (Sir M. Stoddart-Scott) on 6th February?

Miss Pitt

The memorandum to which my hon. Friend refers has gone to all hospital authorities and all domiciliary employing authorities and they have been asked to report back to us by the end of the year. Perhaps it would help if I sent my hon. Friend a copy of the memorandum.