§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has considered the Royal College of Nursing publication "Manpower Availability", which draws attention to the shortage of trained nurses, particularly in the expanding geriatric field; if he will take steps to prevent the adverse effects of the present increasing imbalance between trained and untrained staff in the geriatric, psychogeriatric and psychiatric fields.
§ Dr. VaughanThis document is a report of a survey undertaken by the Royal College of Nursing. It provides useful information on the position as seen by those who took part in the survey, but I cannot accept that it demonstrates general national shortages. While the balance between trained and untrained nursing staff has fluctuated in recent years in both geriatric and psychiatric services, both the total number of nursing staff and the number of qualified staff in these two sectors have been increasing steadily over recent years. Questions of balance and staff mix in particular areas are the responsibility of individual health authorities.