NHS: Health Workers

Baroness Sharples Excerpts

Thursday 19th July 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, the noble Lord has made an extremely creative and important point, and I will gladly take it back to the workforce colleagues in the department.

[Baroness Sharples]

Can my noble friend tell us how many matrons are in hospitals now?

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I cannot give my noble friend the precise figures for matrons, but what I can tell her is that in all NHS trusts there is now an emphasis on nurse leadership, however defined, so that at ward level and indeed at board level the input from nurses is heard and taken into account. That is important if we are to achieve what I think everyone wants, which is to drive the quality of care at the bedside.