§ Mr. David Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the normal establishment of qualified nurses required for the initial stage of the Basingstoke District General Hospital, the number currently available, and the number of additional qualified nurses required for each succeeding stage of this hospital, naming the year and number required.
(2) if he will give an assurance that sufficient qualified nurses will be forthcoming to ensure that each stage of the new Basingstoke District General Hospital is able to open without delay and that all beds will be able to be used; and if he will state the number of beds planned per qualified nurse.
§ Mr. John DunwoodyThe establishment of qualified nurses (including midwives, but excluding tutors and clinical instructors) approved by the Wessex Regional Hospital Board for the initial stage of this hospital is 92; the establishment for the succeeding stages will depend on such factors as the allocation of beds to specialties, but the Board at present envisages that the additional numbers required will be 95 in 1972 and 126 in 1973. On this basis the average number of beds planned per qualified 475W nurse (including those employed in departments other than wards) is about 2.1.
Thirty-four qualified nurses (defined as above) are currently available, and the opening of the initial stage is proceeding according to plan. I cannot forecast the future success of the Board's recruitment campaign, but I hope that the necessary numbers of qualified nurses will be forthcoming.