§ Mr. Yeoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department takes any steps to ensure that its guidelines for the standard of residential accommodation provided for nurses are followed by health authorities.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Mr. Soames) on 1 July 1983.—[Vol. 44, c.179.]
The Department's detailed monitoring of our guidance in specific cases is confined to an examination of the design of new buildings when they form part of a project with a building and engineering cost exceeding £5 million. It would be impracticable to attempt to supervise standards in individual nurses' homes from the Department's headquarters.
§ Mr. Yeoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when his Department last gave guidance to health authorities on the standard of residential accommodation provided for nurses.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe last published guidance on residential accommodation for nurses was issued in the form of a hospital building note—entitled "Residential Accommodation for Staff'—in 1964. This was reprinted with amendments in 1967. We are currently bringing this guidance with associated cost allowances up to date and we hope to reissue it during 1984 following consultations with health authorities and professional interests.