§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to meet leaders of the nursing profession in Wales regarding hospital management and nursing; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Mark RobinsonI have no immediate plans to do so, though of course the Department is in frequent touch with leaders of the nursing and other professions associated with the Health Service in Wales on a wide range of topics, and I met the chairmen of all statutory advisory committees earlier this month for example.
I have also discussed these matters with nursing managers and front-line staff during my visits to date to the health authorities in Wales. Our officials have had useful recent contact with the Welsh branch of the RCN specifically on matters related to the introduction of general management to the NHS in Wales.
§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to improve consultative procedures for nurses employed in the National Health Service in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Mark RobinsonIt is a feature of the changes implied by the introduction of general management into the NHS in Wales that lines of nursing and other professional accountability and advice should be made more plain. Health authorities are well aware of their responsibility to ensure proper consultation on appropriate matters with all relevant professional groups.