HC Deb 14 July 1988 vol 137 cc348-9W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what way health boards' strategic plans embody a commitment to the continuation of mental handicap nurse training in Scotland.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The strategic plans of Scottish health boards do not contain specific commitments to mental handicap nurse training. However, as part of the "Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties" monitoring programme, plans include a nursing manpower analysis (including the mental handicap programme) for a projected period of 10 years. From this, health boards are able to determine their future staffing recruitment and training requirements. In addition the Scottish Home and Health Department has had discussions with health boards about target figures for recruitment to mental handicap nurse training programmes and these target figures will be kept under review. When health boards submit proposals for new capital developments such as new wards or units for the improvement of mental handicap service, the Scottish Home and Health Department has to be fully satisfied that appropriately trained nursing staff will be available to commission and operate the new facilities before approval will be given.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many community mental handicap nurses are employed by each health board in Scotland.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

This information is not at present collected centrally. Arrangements are being made to do so as part of a more general development of manpower and personnel management information systems in health boards.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions regions are making, as services move out into the community, to continue their commitment to mental handicap nurse training in Scotland.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The staff of regional authorities involved in dealing with the mentally handicapped are mostly social workers. Mental handicap nurse training is provided at health boards' colleges of nursing and midwifery: curricula and standards of training are laid down and monitored by the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland. The Scottish Home and Health Department and the social work services group of the Scottish Education Department are providing £200,000 to fund a three-year project to establish guidelines for shared training and work experience for nurses and social work staff working with mentally handicapped people. The Scottish Home and Health Department has also had discussions with health boards about target figures for recruitment to mental handicap nurse training programmes and these target figures will be kept under review.