§ Mr. Woodhouseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to revise the career structure of hospital nurses to ensure that promotion above grade six does not oblige a nurse to transfer from nursing to administrative duties.
§ Mr. AlisonNo. The present structure enables a nurse with management240W ability to progress in her career and continue to use her clinical expertise in a wider context. In particular, it provides for ward sisters and charge nurses a promotion outlet to a variety of posts, many of which have a major clinical content.
§ Mr. Woodhouseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will instruct regional hospital boards to ensure that all nurses recruited into the hospital service have a sufficient knowledge of English to perform their duties efficiently.
§ Mr. AlisonGuidance on this subject was sent to hospital authorities in August 1972, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the relevant circular.