§ 17. Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieuasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the acute shortage of nursing staff at Storthes Hall Hospital, Huddersfield; and whether he will now permit the management committee to run a free bus service to bring in staff from Barnsley.
§ Miss PittI know the difficulties. My right hon. Friend has not been asked to sanction a bus service from Barnsley. The Leeds and Sheffield Regional Hospital Boards are considering how to reduce the number of patients at this hospital.
§ Mr. MallalieuEven if the committee succeeds in reducing them substantially, is the Minister aware that that hospital will still be short of staff? Is she aware that it has a bus of its own —it is not a question of the lack of outside transport—which could be used for this purpose, and if and when permission is sought will the hon. Lady bear that fact in mind?
§ Miss PittI know that there is already a private bus service for other members of the staff from other villages. If the Regional Hospital Board is not successful in recruiting additional staff we should be prepared to consider the operation of another bus—but on the same terms, namely, that the people who use it should pay for this service, up to a maximum of Is. There cannot be a free service.
§ Mr. MallalieuIs the hon. Lady aware that the service must be free if it is to attract people from Barnsley and elsewhere? Is not she aware that private concerns are already bringing in girls from these areas by way of a free service, and that the hospital could not compete with them if it had to charge?
§ Miss PittI cannot hold out any hope of sanctioning a free service, because of the effect it would have on other members of the staff who have to pay their own transport costs, and it would be a question of drawing labour from other areas by the regional hospital board.
§ Mr. MallalieuOn a point of order. That reply is not satisfactory, and I beg to give notice that I shall raise the question on the adjournment.