§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total expenditure of the Joint Board of Clinical Nursing Studies on training for stoma care nurses during 1982 and 1983, respectively;
(2) what plans the Government have to increase training facilities in stoma care nursing.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeTraining facilities in stoma care nursing are provided and funded by individual health authorities. The Government have no plans to change the existing arrangements whereby decisions about facilities are taken by health authorities based on their assessment of local priorities and needs.
The joint board of clinical nursing studies' role was to develop curricula for training and approve the centres where courses are run. This responsibility was taken over by the English National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting on 1 July 1983. We have no information centrally about the costs of developing curricula and approving centres in 1982 and 1983.