15.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the level of nursing staff at hospitals.
The number of nurses in hospitals increased nationally by some 23 per cent. between 1971 and 1976, and the proportion of qualified staff has been maintained at approximately 47 per cent. There are, of course, local variations in nurse staffing levels, and I shall not be satisfied until major variations have been ironed out. Even taking into account changes in leave and hours worked, the national increase in hospital nurses represents an encouraging improvement.
Is my right hon. Friend aware that staffing levels are falling so dangerously that one hospital is refusing to admit patients because it is concerned for their safety? Why are hospitals allowed to employ only so many nurses when at the last count there were at least 5,000 unemployed qualified nurses in this country?
It is not true that staffing levels are getting worse. They are getting better. It is also not true that there are 5,000 unemployed nurses. The figure is now below 4,000, and there is an increasing number of vacancies. The additional funds made available for the National Health Service in the Budget announcement, will lead to about 5,000 new nurses being taken on. Throughout the period of this Government we have seen a steady increase in the number of nurses in the National Health Service and in the ratio of nurses to patients.
In view of that answer, will the Secretary of State tell us what his reply was to the secretary of the Royal College of Nursing when she recently said that nursing levels were at a dangerously low level and that staff morale was lower than had ever been known?
The Royal College of Nursing and others who represent nurses always want to see an improvement. I, too, want to see an improvement. This is a question of public expenditure, and I am not going to take lectures from the hon. Gentleman about increased public expenditure.
What will be the effect on the morale of the nursing profession, which has stuck rigidly to the pay guidelines, of the foreshadowed 28 per cent. increase in doctors' incomes, particularly when linked to the new consultants' charter which has been described as a moonlighter's charter?
The second description of the new consultants' contract, or the contract that is now open for ballot by the consultants, is absolutely wrong. No statement has been made about the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body's report. The House will have to wait for that.