HC Deb 09 June 1981 vol 6 cc253-4
6. Mr. Cryer

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in arrangements for private hospitals to contribute to the cost of training nurses.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

Nurse training is being undertaken in a number of private hospitals and the private sector is considering how it might further increase its contribution to staff training.

Mr. Cryer

Is the Secretary of State aware that a private hospital being built near my constituency is being promoted by consultants who place private greed before the public need and the need of the NHS? What measures will he take to ensure that the private sector makes a contribution towards training, instead of drawing like parasites from the public sector, including from hospitals such as the Airedale general hospital in my constituency? They draw on people trained at the public expense. The training is lengthy and expensive. What will he do to make the private sector contribute to that expense?

Mr. Jenkin

I am aware that a 45–bed hospital is currently being built in Bingley. I am not aware of any evidence that that development will jeopardise the staffing of local NHS hospitals. On the contrary, we believe that the existence of the private sector is to the advantage of the NHS as a whole. It brings additional resources to health care and relieves some of the burden on the NHS.

Mr. Paul Dean

Does my right hon. Friend agree that, instead of knocking the private sector and the growing number of trade unions that take advantage of it, the Opposition should acknowledge that the growth of the private sector is bringing additional and much-needed resources into health care? Does it not also increase the supply of doctors and nurses in the NHS as a whole?

Mr. Jenkin

My hon. Friend is right. It is another example of the Opposition being wholly out of touch with the majority of public opinion.

Mrs. Dunwoody

The Secretary of State is being specious today. Does he not well know that where there are private developments there is clear evidence that NHS staff are creamed off because of the extra pay that can be offered by the private sector? Why is he not honest enough to say that in his opinion privilege is always preferable to providing proper training, which is what the NHS is doing?

Mr. Jenkin

We have always made it clear that we wish to ensure that private developments do not prejudice the NHS. As the hon. Lady well knows, that is why in the 1980 Act we retained some of the control procedures that allow the Government to take steps to protect the NHS if health authorities feel that private development may prejudice their services, especially the recruitment of staff. As yet, no health authority has thought fit to invoke that section.