§ 5. Mr. Carmichaelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what response has been made to the appeals for married and other nurses to return to the profession in the hospitals and infirmaries of Glasgow; how many applicants have been found suitable for refresher courses; how many have been offered appointments in the past three months; and if he is satisfied that there are adequate facilities for refresher courses.
§ Mr. NobleTwo Glasgow hospitals have each offered two courses for nurses returning to hospital work; 73 nurses have attended. At one hospital, the nurses attending undertook to accept employment in that hospital and all have done so. At the other hospital, there was no obligation to take employment in the same hospital but a few of the nurses did. I do not think that special facilities are required for such courses.
§ Mr. CarmichaelI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his reply, but can he assure us that there is no truth in the widespread belief that in the last three months of the financial year the hospitals are unable, because of their budgets being expended, to take on nurses; and that as long as there are facilities for retraining, the money will be available for this very necessary re-entry of ex-nurses, even at the end of the financial year?
§ Mr. NobleThis, of course, is a matter for the hospital boards. I have no information that they are in difficulty in this particular respect at the moment.