HC Deb 24 October 1973 vol 861 cc1227-9
2. Dr. Dickson Mabon

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received, and from whom, complaining of the unrepresentative nature of his appointments to the area health boards in Scotland.

The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Education, Scottish Office (Mr. Hector Monro)

My right hon. Friend has received general representations on this from 13 hon. Members, 16 health service authorities, 19 local authorities and five trade unions. On the question of representation of nurses on health boards, he has had letters from 46 hon. Members and three nursing organisations.

Dr. Mabon

Will the Minister tell us how many appointments are still to be made? Will he not agree that of the remaining appointments a significant number should be given to nurses, women, trade unionists, Co-operators and people on the Labour and Liberal sides of political life in Scotland, who are sadly—indeed shockingly—under-represented in the present 209 appointments?

Mr. Monro

From the Adjournment debate the hon. Gentleman and I had the other night, I thought that perhaps he had realised that we shall bear in mind the points he put when we are considering the other appointments, which should number between 50 and 60.

16. Mr. James Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what boards the seven nurses have been appointed; if he intends to appoint more; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Monro

My right hon. Friend has appointed persons with nursing experience to the Borders, Forth Valley, Highland, Lothians and Orkney Health Boards. In completing the membership of health boards, he hopes to be able to make further appointments of this kind.

Mr. Hamilton

Will the Minister recognise that the nine appointments are totally unacceptable to the nurses themselves? The Government talk about participation and communication, but nurses who are employed in the National Health Service have been denied the right to participate on hospital boards. The nurses told me, when the Minister made his announcement during the Adjournment debate last week, that he was talking rubbish and that what he said was totally unacceptable to them.

Mr. Monro

The hon. Gentleman attended the Adjournment debate, for which I was grateful, and he heard in detail the reasons for my right hon. Friend's decision. I indicated during the debate that the views expressed then would be taken into consideration, and we shall certainly consider the position regarding further appointments of people with nursing experience.

Mr. Wolrige-Gordon

Will my hon. Friend understand that there is considerable feeling on this matter among nurses in all parts of the country? I hope that he can do a great deal more to meet the point made by the hon. Member for Bothwell (Mr. James Hamilton) about appointing more nurses to health boards.

Mr. Monro

From letters which hon. Members have forwarded to my right hon. Friend and myself, I am aware of the strength of feeling. I hope hon. Members will appreciate that on each area health board there is a chief area nursing officer, who is there to represent the case of the nurses. The boards will pay close attention to the views of the area nursing committees.

Mr. Ross

Will the Minister take it from me that this is a serious point? The nurses are very much up in arms about being ignored. It is not satisfactory to say that someone with nursing experience will be appointed, because that someone may not be in touch with the feeling in hospitals at the present time. There were nurses on regional hospital boards, and it is essential that they should be appointed to the area health boards. The Minister has had more than three months to think about this, and we are still waiting for his decision.

Mr. Monro

The right hon. Gentleman is wrong. My right hon. Friend has made his decision and has informed hon. Members and the nursing profession. My right hon. Friend and I have the highest regard for the nursing profession and all the work it does for the hospitals and the health service in Scotland, but the hon. Gentleman must appreciate the important position of line management in the health service in the future under the area health boards. It would be inappropriate to have nurses employed by the boards involved in decisions which affect the chief area nursing officer.