HC Deb 23 November 1970 vol 807 cc32-3W
Mr. Golding

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he intends to take to increase the number of nurses in hospitals in North Staffordshire.

Mr. Alison

Recruitment is primarily a matter for hospital authorities and my rôle is to give them general support especially by means of national publicity.

The North Staffordshire Hospital Management Committee has appealed to the public in North Staffordshire for young people to take up nursing in their local hospitals and intends to maintain and increase its already high level of Press advertising and careers publicity; a careers exhibition is to be held in the Spring of next year.

In addition, part-time training of pupil nurses for the mentally handicapped is to be introduced shortly at Stallington Hospital and a scheme is being prepared for the part-time training in the group of pupil nurses for general nursing.