§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of the discontent expressed at various conferences of those working in the National Health Service called to discuss " Patients First ", if he will make a statement on the issue of staff job protection because of the lack of information on the effect health service reorganisation will have in this matter.
§ Dr. VaughanI hope that it will soon be possible for negotiations to start on our proposals for a premature retirement scheme and protection terms for any staff obliged to move to a lower graded post. Together with natural wastage, these proposals should enable changes in the management of the NHS to take place with few, if any, compulsory redundancies.
§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the future of nursing education was omitted from his consultative document " Patients First "; and if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy in this area.
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§ Dr. VaughanNurse education is mentioned in paragraph 22(b) of the consultative document "Patients First", as an example of a service which is at present provided at area but which it may be right to organise on a district basis. The document suggests that decisions about how facilities for nurse education should be provided would be a matter for the shadow district authorities and the regional health authorities concerned.