HC Deb 17 May 1965 vol 712 cc999-1000
51. Mr. Hugh Fraser

asked the Minister of Health why senior posts on the nursing staff of Staffordshire mental hospitals are not advertised; and why preference is given to men in the appointment of assistant matrons.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Mr. Charles Loughlin)

Hospitals exercise their discretion in this, but my information is that most of the hospitals mentioned advertise these posts. I am also advised that no preference is given to men.

Mr. Fraser

Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider that the exercise of their judgment on this sort of thing is not always up to what the Minister has been told? I am sure the Minister will agree that it is important that these posts should be advertised as otherwise there is fear of victimisation by certain members of the staff. Surely, in female wards there should be fully qualified female nurses in charge? Would the hon. Gentleman look at both allegations?

Mr. Loughlin

I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that we have already looked into the situation in the hospitals in the area to which his Question refers. I can assure him that there has been no preferential treatment given to the men. There may have been an increase in the appointment of men, but that is in the nature of things today because of women leaving to get married. Most of the jobs have been advertised. If the right hon. Gentleman likes to give me details of any particular case or cases, I give him an assurance that I will go into the matter very fully.

Mr. Fraser

Will the hon. Gentleman see that all these posts are advertised?

I do not see any point in their not all being advertised.

Mr. Loughlin

In practice, I think that they have all been advertised, but what the right hon. Gentleman may have found, as I have found, is that where there has been no response to an advertisement in the first instance, the hospital management committee has made an appointment without re-advertising, because of the failure of response.