HC Deb 21 January 1977 vol 924 cc360-1W
Mr. Channon

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recourse is available to those trainee nurses at Great Ormond Street Hospital who, as a result of an administrative error in calculating the date on which they were required to register, find themselves prevented from taking their examinations because their qualifying courses are three days short; if he will ask the General Nursing Council to review the matter; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Deakins

The General Nursing Council has a statutory responsibility for the conduct of examinations of student nurses and the conditions for the examinations are governed by the Nurses Rules, which are approved by Parliament and have the force of law. The Council has no discretionary power to waive the rules to meet the circumstances of the Great Ormond Street nurses, whose training at the hospital started a few days too late to enable them to sit the final examination in February 1977. They will of course be eligible to take the next examination in June.