HC Deb 14 April 1981 vol 3 cc93-4W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will seek information on the number of nursing staff in the National Health Service who suffer such serious back injuries that they are subsequently awarded disablement benefit;

(2) what is his estimate of the number of nurses working in the National Health Service who suffer back injury each year; and if he will express this figure as a percentage and give the percentage for each standard category of nursing work;

(3) what is his estimate of the number of days off work each year by nurses in the National Health Service as a result of back injuries; and what is his estimate of the cost to his Department.

Mr. Rossi

Separate records of injuries to particular categories of employed persons are not maintained and the information is not available on which reliable estimates could be made of the number of back injuries suffered by nurses or the extent to which these result in days off work.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the clothing worn by nurses in the National Health Service enables them to adopt the most appropriate posture when lifting patients.

Sir George Young

Nurses' uniform dresses, made to the Department's current specification on a central "call off' contract, are available in an adequate size range and are designed to incorporate the necessary functional design features to allow the adoption of appropriate postures for handling and lifting patients.

I cannot comment, however, on other clothing provided by some health authorities and worn by nurses in the Health Service.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is satisfied with the incidence of back injury among nurses in the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what action he is taking to reduce the incidence of back injury to nurses in the National Health Service.

Sir George Young

The question of injuries suffered by nurses and other employees in the Health Service whilst in the course of their duties is of continuing concern to the Department.

The Department has funded a number of research projects over the years, including one at Surrey university. The main aim of these projects is to make a scientific estimate of the risk factors associated with manual lifting, particularly of patients and how back injury may be avoided. This research is continuing.