Mrs. Slaterasked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied that the estimates of the No. 21 Hospital Group will be adequate for the required nursing establishment; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganThe funds made available to regional hospital boards for the current financial year should be generally sufficient not only for maintenance of existing services but for a measure of expansion. Each board can decide how best to use these funds and what priorities to give to various objects, including the recruitment of staff.
I understand that the share of the regional total allocated by the hospital board to this group should be sufficient not only to meet the cost of the considerable increase in nursing staff achieved during the last financial year, but also to provide for further essential recruitment during the current year.
Mrs. Slaterasked the Minister of Health the present and the proposed nursing establishment for 1957–58, male and female, for the No. 21 Hospital Group of the Birmingham Region.
§ Mr. Vaughan-MorganThe present establishment, in terms of whole-time staff is 112 male and 1,036 female. It is proposed, subject to the approval of the regional hospital board, to increase the establishment by 36—male or female—during the present year.