§ Baroness Faithfullasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why, with the shortage of nurses, nursery nurses on the children's wards and nursery auxiliaries are no longer being employed in many NHS hospitals.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hooper)We have no reason to believe that nursery nurses and nursing auxiliaries are no longer being employed in NHS hospitals. They can and do fulfil a very important role on children's wards, for example, in organising play therapy, keeping children occupied and in bathing, dressing and feeding children. However, they should not undertake the duties which are 1255WA properly those of a registered or enrolled nurse. Clinical nursing duties cannot be delegated to those who do not hold the required qualifications. This position has been made clear in a communication of 27th October 1987 from the English National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting to Regional Nursing Officers/Advisers.