§ 78. Mr. Mossasked the Minister of Labour whether he is satisfied with the rate of recruitment to the nursing profession in Warwickshire; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WatkinsonNo, not while we are unable to meet demands for additional nursing staff. I am glad to say that at the end of 1954 more trained nurses were in employment and more student nurses were in training in the hospitals in Warwickshire than a year earlier, but there was a drop in the number of unqualified nursing staff.
There is much competition in this area from other forms of employment, but my nursing appointments offices will continue to encourage recruitment to the nursing profession.
§ 79. Mr. Mossasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the shortage of nurses in the Manor, George Eliot and Bramcote Hospitals in Nuneaton; and what steps are being taken to effect an improvement.
§ Mr. WatkinsonMy nursing appointments office has particulars of forty vacancies for nursing staff for the three hospitals in question. In the last three years there has been a substantial increase in the number of trained nurses and student nurses, but the number of other nursing staff has dropped.
Apart from general publicity, exhibitions, talks at schools and elsewhere, special publicity has recently been given locally to the needs of these hospitals. All possible steps to encourage recruitment of nurses will continue to be taken.