§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to encourage health authorities to establish workplace creches and similar incentives further to encourage the return of mothers into the health and caring professions.
§ Mr. Mellor[holding answer 25 July 1989]: Mothers returning to work have a major contribution to make to staffing the NHS and other caring professions over the next decade. We fully recognise the value of workplace nurseries in attracting and retaining their services. In March this year we introduced a new collaborative venture between the Health Service and the Midland bank to set up and share creche facilities for staff throughout the country. I understand that the scheme has been well received by health authorities and that a number are discussing specific plans with the bank. The national steering group on equal opportunities for women in the NHS has produced a report and a guidance manual which we commended to all health authorities in April. They give detailed guidance on the implementation of workbreak schemes, including child-minding facilities. In addition, the NHS training authority is developing a "return and retain" scheme for staff wishing to take career breaks.
Decisions about the implementation of such schemes are for individual employing authorities. But we take every opportunity to emphasise that there must be improvements and greater flexibility in working practices and recruitment and retention policies to counteract the substantial drop in the number of young people coming on to the labour market in the 1990s, as well as to provide worthwhile job and career opportunities for returning mothers and, for those who are professionally qualified, to secure the best investment from their professional training.