HC Deb 20 December 1965 vol 722 cc1676-7
42. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of his agreement in principle to pay overtime rates of pay to doctors in the National Health. Service, he will apply the same principle to the payment of all nurses and student nurses.

The Minister of Health (Mr. Kenneth Robinson)

Pay and conditions of service for nurses are matters in the first instance for the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council; but my hon. Friend has misunderstood the nature of the proposed new system of payment for general practitioners.

Mr. Hamilton

Can my right hon. Friend tell me precisely what it is I have misunderstood? Is it not the case that the doctors have asked, and that the Minister has agreed in principle, that they shall be paid overtime rates? If that is the case—and even if it is not—will my right hon. Friend agree that there is some justification for the claim of the nurses, particularly the nurses, that all hours over the 42 per week should be paid by overtime rates?

Mr. Robinson

There is no question of paying general medical practitioners overtime. Under the new contract which has gone to the Review Body for pricing, the doctor who continues as at present to be responsible for providing care of his patients throughout the 24 hours of the day will have his remuneration for nights and weekends separately identified. Overtime payments are already made to some nurses in psychiatric hospitals, but, by agreement of both sides of the Whitley Council, the tendency in recent years has beef to reduce the number of grades receiving overtime pay.