Assembly Debate on 1st October 1965 (16th Sitting) (see Doc. 1949, report of the Social Committee). Text adopted as amended by the Assembly on 1st October 1965 (16th Sitting).
The Assembly,
1. Considering that the chief feature of the nursing employment situation in European countries is the lack of qualified staff in relation to the constant increase in the demand for nursing services ;
2. Believing that this problem exists to a more or less acute degree in all member countries of the Council of Europe, and that therefore it is desirable to seek joint solutions ;
3. Having noted the studies and work carried out by the International Labour Office and the World Health Organisation ;
4. Being informed that the Committee of Experts on Public Health has already begun to lay the foundations for a European Agreement to facilitate the practice of the nursing profession in all Council of Europe countries,
5. Recommends the Committee of Ministers to ask an ad hoc sub-committee of the Committee of Experts on Public Health to define, on the basis of the Assembly report, the remedies to be found for the shortage of nurses in Europe, particularly as regards :
a improving recruiting and information methods ;
b more rational use of existing staff ;
c retaining staff ;
d establishing principles for the fixing of remuneration and status ;
e offering opportunities for further training and specialisation and the prospect of a career ;
f inquiring into the reasons of wastage of nursing staff.
