§ Mr. Sackvilleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on current personnel policies and procedures within the National Health Service in respect of provision of equal opportunities for employees; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThree quarters of a million women work in the National Health Service which is greatly dependent on them for the delivery of patient care. Health authorities need to ensure that women enjoy equal opportunities with men to develop and deploy to the full their talents, professioanl skills and expertise. In particular, their policies should take account of the fact that many women take a break in service in order to care for young children. They should not be disadvantaged in their career development as a result. We need to retain these staff and to encourage those who have left the service to come back.
With the agreement and support of the chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission, I have invited the regional personnel manager of North-West Thames regional health authority to lead a small working group to consider the personnel policies and practices needed in the NHS to provide equality of opportunity in employment and in particular to make recommendations for management of the career break. The working group includes representatives of NHS staff interests, the Department, the National Health Service training authority and the Equal Opportunities Commission. I have asked them to liaise closely with the task force on racial equality established earlier this year by the King Edward fund for London.