PM
It is beyond all possible expectations. I had read about it as have so many people. The work they are doing there couldn't have been done just a few years ago. And the things they are doing with these little babies and the joy in the eyes of their parents. They are very complicated and sometimes they will start on a heart operation and they will get lung complication and they will cope with that. They are using all of the latest techniques and they'll want to keep up the appeals because they'll want the very latest machines and if we can help them to get them sooner. It is quite wonderful and the devotion and education fantastic and I've been looking at research as well and that's going ahead.
Q
But isn't it a shame that so many beds are still empty because of nursing shortages?
PM
But you see, what we have done, we got on to nursing shortages some time ago because these nurses have to have a lot of extra qualifications particularly to work in intensive care and on this degree of speciality and they weren't being paid for this extra qualification. It was quite wrong. But we have first to negotiate a different structure between the management and the nurses, which we did, and then that was referred to the Review Body and the results of that are now showing. And we should be able to have more nurses going to intensive care. It is fairly intensive on the nurses as well as on the …
Q
Prime Minister they have had problems in this hospital, they've got problems filling this new ward with nurses. They've only got half …
PM
I've just indicated that. That we were on to the fact that nurses weren't being paid for extra skills or they were being paid some extra skills, for example, nurses that went into geriatric work were getting extra but the nurses that were going intensive care which is very demanding work and the nurses which do the paediatric nursing weren't getting enough extra. So we had to agree a new structure between the management and the Royal College of Nursing. That structure then went to the Review Body and the Review Body attached sums to it and also an extra London supplement which we hope will help very much towards getting more nurses to go in for this kind of work. Because obviously the more they can do, the greater the demand there will be for it. And it was fantastic, you weren't able also to come round in all places [end p1] for very obvious reasons, it is fantastic how passive the babies are and really therefore, I suppose, how much they co-operate with what is happening.
Q
Do you think the nurses are being paid a decent salary now?
PM
Well I hope that they are very pleased. We have accepted what the Review Body—we set up the Review Body in the first place—and we have a special problem in Inner London—but of course also in Outer London I might say—which is why they were recommended on top of the London allowances a special London supplement. Because these are more expensive, living is more expensive.
Q
Have you any news for pensioners this afternoon about housing benefit as well?
PM
Here we are. Let's just make it quite clear that this morning we are saying that the work that is being done at Great Ormond Street is marvellous; we are unbelievable grateful to the doctors and nurses; we are also very grateful to the many, many people who have contributed to the Wishing Well Appeal. Because this hospital just has a very special place in the affections of the British people. They will go on wanting more money; to every person who has a child, this hospital matters. Mine never came here, they had to go into other hospitals but one knew that it was here if they had a really deep problem. Let's just concentrate on this because this means a great deal to parents. This afternoon there will be another problem.
Q
Prime Minister do you think it possible that this hospital will be supported by charity in future?
PM
Now look, what I said earlier is that really the voluntary spirit and personal gifts, personal generosity, is part of the British character. You shouldn't denigrate it. It's one of things that made Britain the country it is. And once we have, we have now brought taxation down, and this is a combination between the public sector, people in their tax-paying capacity. But may I say this to you: when you have finished as a taxpayer, you haven't finished your duties as a citizen. We then turn to you and say you've seen this hospital as well. Don't you think that you should give something voluntarily? There's more to life than just giving what you're compelled to give. Find a little personal generosity for these children.