HC Deb 04 July 1966 vol 731 cc2-4
5. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Minister of Health what new proposals he now has to enable married women doctors to return to work in view of the recent survey which indicates that many wish to do so, providing that suitable arrangements are made for those with young children.

Mr. K. Robinson

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Roebuck) on 23rd June.

Mrs. Short

I thank my right hon. Friend for the interest which he is obviously taking in this problem. Would he not agree that the provisions for married women to return to the hospital service and many other jobs and professions are inadequate, particularly for women with young children? Will he therefore press on with this work and undertake to have discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science to see if more can be done in this respect?

Mr. Robinson

I am anxious to do anything I can to encourage married women doctors to return to work in the National Health Service, and particularly in hospitals. We understand that about one half of married women doctors already work full time, that about one-third work part time and that about one-fifth are not working. It is this one-fifth we are anxious to see back in the Service.

Mr. Braine

Is it not a fact that the survey revealed that at least 1,000 women doctors who were not working professionally would like to do so and that another 1,000 who were working only part time would like to do more work? In view of the acute shortage of doctors, would the right hon. Gentleman say what positive steps he is taking to make use of these hard-earned and much-needed skills?

Mr. Robinson

I enumerated in my Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Roebuck) a number of the steps which I am taking in this matter. The hon. Gentleman may be interested to know that only about one-quarter of those who are not working gave the lack of suitable work as their sole reason for not working. To answer the other point raised by my hon. Friend, certainly the hospitals can provide for the children of staff where they consider this to be worth while, and that might help married women doctors with children.

Mr. Hooley

Would my right hon. Friend pay particular attention to the problem of maintaining the superannuation rights of married women doctors who have had service in the National Health Service, since I understand that at present they must work for one week every 12 months to maintain these rights?

Mr. Robinson

I think that my hon. Friend is right when he says that they are required to work for a short period every 12 months to preserve their rights. I am certainly prepared to look into this matter.