§ 3.7 p.m.
§ BARONESS BROOKE OF YSTRAD-FELLTEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government, in connection with the campaign they have announced to secure more nurses, what steps they propose to take to persuade married women who are trained nurses to return to nursing, and, since home nursing is a particularly suitable occupation in such circum-stances, what arrangements are they making to provide training in home nursing for such nurses who have not previously undertaken it.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (BARONESS SEROTA)My Lords, hospital and local health authorities have been given advice on the recruitment, welfare and refresher training of married women returning to nursing; indeed, the growing number of part-time nursing staff consists largely of married women. In general, there is no shortage of recruits for district nursing, and many authorities maintain waiting lists of women anxious to secure posts. In some areas, as I am sure the noble Baroness is aware, "back to nursing" clubs have been organised, and members are kept informed of developments in nursing and may be offered posts by local authorities as they arise.
Since May, 1968, training for district nurses has been provided wholly by local health authorities and almost all now participate. The distribution of training centres is now such that most married nurses wishing to train for the National Certificate in District Nursing can do so in their own home areas.
§ BARONESS BROOKE OF YSTRAD-FELLTEMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask how many married nurses who have returned to home nursing since 1968 have been awarded the National District Nursing Certificate and whether consideration has been given to making the holding of this certificate a statutory requirement?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, I am afraid that I do not have the figures with me, but I will write to the noble Baroness on both her supplementary questions.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, can my noble friend tell me whether hospitals are advised to provide crèches for the babies of these nurses?
§ BARONESS SEROTAYes, my Lords. We have given guidance to hospital authorities on this subject, and they have authority to provide day nurseries up to acceptable standards where there are in-sufficient facilities available locally and where likely increases in staff warrant it.
§ LORD WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that in some parts of the country the organisation through the National Health Service and through the local authorities for part-time work is not adequate, and that consequently private nursing services tend to be encouraged?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, I quite accept that there are regional variations in this matter but, looking at the country as a whole, the number of qualified women nurses and midwives who are now employed part-time both by the local authorities and by the National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales is rising rapidly. The House may like some figures which illustrate my point. In September, 1968, over 48,000, or 40 per cent., of the total number of qualified nurses and midwives in hospitals were working part-time. The comparable figure for local authorities was 48 per cent, of the total.
§ LORD STRATHCLYDEMy Lords, can the noble Baroness give any figures relative to Scotland?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, I feel that if I did so, I should be trespassing on my noble colleague's field.