§ Mr. Malcolm Macmillanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate of the number of additional nurses required to satisfy the needs of the new hospital programme in Scotland; and what special steps and inducements are planned to increase and speed up recruitment of nursing and other staff.
§ Mr. MaclayMuch of the hospital programme represents the replacement of existing hospitals. An estimate of the number of nurses required would depend not so much on any change in the number of beds, which will not be significant, as on possible changes in medical and nursing procedures and the result of current efforts to make fuller use of nursing staff, the outcome of which it is not yet possible to foresee. As regards the second part of the Question, the underlying principles of the Plan are that the Service should provide suitable conditions of recruitment and training, and these are under constant review with the hospital authorities.