§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many strategic health authorities have nurses on their boards. [61446]
§ Mr. LammyInformation on the number of nurses on the boards of the new health authorities (to be known as strategic health authorities) is as follows
midlands and east of England: four of the eight health authorities (HAs) have members on the board with nursing qualifications;north: seven of the eight HAs have nurses/people with nursing qualifications on their boards;London: at present there are no nurses on the boards of the five HAs in London. However, nurse views are represented on the North West London health authority board by the chief executive, who is a qualified nurse. In addition to this, two HAs in the London area are currently in the process of recruiting Directors of Nursing;south: four of the seven HAs have nurses/people with nursing qualifications on their boards.Of those HAs in the country who do not have nurses/ people with nursing qualifications on their boards, they propose to have such people on their top management teams or are ensuring that they have direct access to senior nursing advice.