HC Deb 02 December 1968 vol 774 cc1033-4
37. Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that student nurses are provided with completely free educational facilities to advance their professional knowledge and qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Snow

Student nurses already receive free training.

Mr. Carter-Jones

Will my hon. Friend investigate the possibility of circumstances in which student nurses have to pay for their own travel to and from their colleges, and for exercise books and recommended textbooks? This is difficult on a low income.

Mr. Snow

It is true that they pay for their own textbooks, because they retain them after registration. One has also to bear in mind in all these cases that nurses who are registered do not necessarily go into the National Health Service. But apart from all that, if my hon. Friend will send me some details, I should like to look at this particular case of travelling costs.

38. Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what safeguards he imposes to prevent the use of student nurses as cheap labour in hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Snow

Guidance was given last year to hospital authorities on improving training arrangements for student nurses. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the memorandum.

Mr. Carter-Jones

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Is he aware that though it may be necessary to use student nurses for certain practical work in the hospitals, the work should not be such that they turn out for their theoretical training lectures in a very tired state?

Mr. Snow

If by "practical work" my hon. Friend means domestic work, I should like to look into the matter. It might largely be a question of poor management in the hospital. If it is a question of relatively untrained nurses being given responsibilities which are too heavy for their qualifications, this is a matter of training which we are at present investigating.

Mr. Maurice Macmillan

Will the hon. Gentleman also look into the situation at a number of hospitals where student nurses employed in the theatre outnumber trained personnel? Will he also look into the question of student nurses being on call—which, I understand, is at present the case in some 15 hospitals—which cannot do anything but eat into their rest or training periods?

Mr. Snow

I will look into the last matter mentioned by the hon. Gentleman, but my earlier reply on training covers his first point.