§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) why his Department has decided not to make the nurses national uniform out of fire resistant material;
(2) what is the cost of a national nurses uniform in the current material;
(3) what would be the cost of a national nurses uniform made out of the fire resistant material considered by his Department.
§ Mr. HayhoeFollowing the circulation of the report on a "Trial of Nurses Dresses in Various Fabrics", the Health Service supply council consulted within the National Health Service and confirmed the Department's view that there was no reason for nurses to have a uniform dress with special flammability characteristics except in special circumstances where nurses are exposed to particular fire hazards.
The Department cannot disclose individual contract prices, but the annual value of national contracts for nurses dresses is currently £615,000. This figure does not take account of purchases negotiated separately by health authorities. A change of material to flame retardant polyester would increase costs by over 30 per cent.