§ 78. Mr. Doigasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that ward maids in the Dundee Royal Infirmary are working from 10 a.m. to 8.30 p.m.; and what action he will take to reduce these hours to a normal working day.
§ Mr. Ross:This is a matter of day to day management of the hospital, in which I see no reason to intervene. I understand from the hospital, however, that no ward maids in Dundee Royal Infirmary are working these hours but that some dining room staff do so on certain days as part of a three-week cycle of shift arrangements.
§ 79. Mr. Doigasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what establishment is laid down for the Dundee Royal Infirmary for wardmaids, porters, kitchen workers, and dining room staff; and how this compares per patient with other hospitals.
§ Mr. Ross:While there is no formal establishment for these posts, at 31st March there were 140 maids, 54 porters, 50 kitchen staff and 20 dining room staff employed at Dundee Royal Infirmary. This represented 1. 65 maids, 0. 64 porters, 0. 59 kitchen staff and 0. 24 dining room staff for every 100 patients discharged during the preceding six months compared with the average figures for hospitals of the same type of 1. 03, 0. 61, 0. 47 and 0. 37 respectively; but it is difficult to make a comparison of individual grades betwen hosiptals without taking account also of duties, working conditions and the like.