utter rubbish! As a nurse with over 30 years experience - how dare he !!

Linda Reid , Aberdeen , Scotland

O_O

Anything, and I mean ANYTHING I have EVER said bad about the NHS, I take back.

Now how much will it be to fly over and break an arm?

:3

Jai Chana, Racine, WI, USA

I think that nurses do a wonderful job and I'm sure I speak for most when I say they don't get nearly enough praise for their efforts. I don't see a problem with them seeing ex patients, and after all they are only human.

Miles Williams, barry, wales

As a qualified nurse and senior hospital manager, I feel there is one issue which needs calrifying and this is whether we are talking about trained who have received a formal training or other care workers.
A large proportion of care in hospitals, once provided by nurses and nursing students, is now actually provided by non-nurses, but who are often collectively termed 'nurses' by the public.
I would be the first person to condemn inappropriate behaviour and poor standards of care from nurses or other care workers but we need to clarify whether we are actually talking about nurses here or other care providers who are not nurses. If all care givers are being collectively termed as nurses, this is wrong!

Paul Bloomfield, Ipswich, Suffolk. UK

I am a staff nurse working at the ruh and i am extremely shocked at the accusations!!! i dont no ANY nurses that have had relations with patients (and either do many of the nurses i speak to) and we do have a code of conduct to adhere to, the same as doctors. Dont tar all of us hardworking, professional nurses with the same brush but as previously said, we are not nuns and do have lives but these SHOULD NOT affect patient care!!! why has it taken him 6 months to complain about these issues about the RUH nurses??? I know many competent and proffesional nurses leaving/ wanting to leave the NHS due to lack of appreciation and support!!!

liz, bath, england

I visit my father daily whilst he is in hospital recovering from a broken hip. He is doubly incontinent and has Alzheimer's and every day I have to clean faeces from underneath his fingernails. I don't mind doing it, it is a job that has to be done, but I'm surprised his nurses haven't noticed the need.
Sarah Kent

Sarah Talbutt, Maidstone,

Surely you have heard the old joke.
There are only 3 certainties in life, death, taxes and nurses.

Nurse Lover, Birmingham, UK

When I was a younger man it used to be said that there were only three certainties in life - death, taxes and nurses...Off duty of course.

Dunploddin, Malaga, Spain

So why then do doctors get reported to their professional body and struck off if they have an affair with their patients? Surely both doctors and nurses should behave in similar professional manners and transgressions be dealt with the same?

Christina, Belfast, Northrn Ireland

He wasn't just talking about nurses. He had a lot more to say. The man was badly treated in an uncaring environment. The way he sensed the supposed carers found the dying man a nuisance spoke far more about our collective social and psychological problem with old age sickness and death than any juvenile behaviour by nurses and in them he supposed no worse than the collective wisdom sees the behaviour and presentation of a small but highly visible number of young women nowadays.
Remember his lordship is only 50 and that age often carries a profound fear of death with it, it's a bit too young. My hospital experience with a cancer was highly educational in terms of what goes on in hospitals. It's time the idea that doctors,nurses,orderlies,cleaners,visitors,auxiliaries and others being universally kind and caring individuals merely because they are present was laid down firmly. We need genuinely drop-in no-notice random inspections in ALL the professions. The day of the judge is here.

Dr Lizard, Harlow,

Death, taxes and student nurses.

I love them, I do. They actually go out there and do something.

Charles, London,

Was he talking about male or female nurses or both? Is "dirty hair" a clue?

John, London, SE, UK

I wonder what the percentage of office workers that had had a relationship with a client of coworker would be...1 in 10 maybe?

Also, there may just be a possibility that nurses are honest but falliable people. They aren't nuns, after all.

David John Marusza, Islington, England

Perhaps he'd like to come over and work a 12 hour night shift with me. I doubt he could do the physical work nor take the abuse from the sick people we Nurse.

annie h, Manchester,

i dont see why they have to bring up that he went to eton and what clubs he belongs to, unless the fact that he's been to good schools and is a member of certain clubs means he isnt entitled to an opinion.

jason , lake jackson, texas

I think Lord Mancroft's comments provide a far worse impression of him than they do of the nurses.

Ian Lee, Fremantle, Australia

I don't see what the problem is. hasn't His Lordship read A Farewell to Arms?

Larry, Eugene, Oregon, USA

Well, really, if it isn't the pot calling the kettle black! Politicians are the last ones who should throw stones! I am lost for metaphors. At least nurses do a good job 90% of the time (and for a lucky few 100% of the time)

Phil, Bishop's Stortford, UK

"Almost one in ten Nurses think starting a relationship with one of their patients is acceptable..."- so that will be over 90% who don't then.

Peter Martin, Welwyn,

Having retired from nursing 2 years ago after 30 years service, I would agree - SOME nurses are promiscuous, SOME do drink to excess, SOME are lazy. As are SOME Journalists, SOME MP's etc.
Nurses are drawn from all walks of life and like every other group there are good ones and bad ones. Nurses are not angels, they suffer the same foibles as society in general. In my experience the vast majority are industrious, dedicated professionals. So let's keep things in perspective.

And by the way - the tawdry pictures used by the majority of the press to illustrate the story do nothing but cheapen the discussion.

John Brunton, Llandundon, Conwy

its is natural for patients to fall in love with their nurses so why not vice versa

peter codner, devizes, england

These days nurses are very unprofessional in the clinical area. They should leave discussions about their private lives etc to the canteen. This is a separate issue to relationships with patients. If both are consenting adults then good luck to them.

John, Ormskirk, UK

These sorts of liaisons will have been going on since time immemorial and no doubt often have positive outcomes on a number of levels - as described in other comments. What is unprofessional and tacky is the open discussion by nurses in front of patients about their exploits - whether these took place in the hospital or elsewhere. This is particularly distasteful as patients are essentially 'prisoners' rather than customers and have no choice but to listen. It is bad enough to be subjected to personal conversations between shop assistants (and who hasn't experienced this irritating phenomen?) but at least you can choose to shop elsewhere!

Nora, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey

NHS, National Health Sex, I hope it catches on, has a nice ring to it, you see Labour isn't that bad after all.

preddo53, leeds, UK

Oh dear lord grumbly bum. Are we a bit jealous that the nurses were not flirting with you?

Nurses have flirted with patients since time began, just ask those that survive WW2, many of them married their patients!

Having worked in a hospital for 3 years and having may close friends who are nurses (none of which I would EVER call promiscuous) I understand how important is it that they are cheerful and happy and okay throwing the odd wink now and again what harm is done if patients and staff are happy? Nurses work long hours and are underpaid let's give them a sodding break!

p.s when in hospital over the summer the constant flirtations of a handsome young (well young but older than me!) registrar were what kept me sane! Hospital is a horrid place to be it needs a bit of fun.

Alexia, Surrey,

As a former nurse I wish my life and career had been as exciting !!!!

Ian Payne, WALSALL,

I have to say I am glad to hear someone daring to speak the truth about an unjustifiably revered profession. I was a nurse for some years, and while we were wild and reckless at times and irresponsible when off duty, it never, ever impacted on work and was certainly never discussed when interacting with patients. I am ashamed of the current selection of nurses - there are, it is true, many who are professional and good at their jobs. Sadly there are also many many who are indeed dirty, dishevelled, and have no idea why it matters, and who have no appreciation of the boundaries which need to be respected. I still work in an allied profession - I would never comtemplate nursing again - and am frequently appalled by the attitude, appearance and frank stupidity of some of the "professional" nurses with whom I have to deal. Many of them display no idea about accountability or responsibility, and I doubt they could even spell the words.

ex-nurse, Dover, Kent

I have been nursing for twenty eight years, I feel disgusted that all nurses are tarnished with the same brush!! I would call my self a professional nurse, always have been and always will be!!! May be the younger nurses of today have been influenced by the previous conservative government policies,selfless and inconsiderate towards others, something that I have noticed over the last ten years!!!

Jayne, Birmingham, UK

Someone break my leg, quick! I'd risk it all - MRSA and C.Diff included - for a few nurses in my local hospital.

Howard, Manchester,

Oh good! I'm going in for a hip operation on my 86th birthday. I might get laid at last.

David, London, UK

Having trained at one of the largest teaching hospitals in Scotland in 1968 and pursued my career through Senior Sister, Clinical Nurse Teacher and University Lecturer in post registration nurse education for the over thirty five years, I feel the observation by Lord Mancroft is likely to be an astute observation. His main concern appeared to be the total absence of any consistent, thorough or directly accountable clinical nursing leadership and supervision which pervades an increasing number of today's hospital 'wards'. Alleged 'teams', 'named nurses' or other subterfuge of professional organisation alludes to what ought to be better than what we had in the past.
How come today it seems to be the rarer good nurse that stands out rather than in my day (and in the unanimous opinion of my nursing colleagues) that it was the occasional poor/bad nurse that was the exception to the rule? The difference is clear - lack of an interactive nursing team under the expert guidance of Sister

Louisa, Perth,

Makes we want to get sick! (as in go to the hospital)

Bem, Muncie, Indiana, USA

The truth may be unpalatable but it will always come out.
Trying to hide it under the guise of an attack on women will not distract what is really going on. There were better ways to address the issues Lord Mancroft raised but now it is in the open, it should promote a meaningful and helpful debate about current issues in nursing. However, I suspect that politicians will only seek to sidetract from these real nursing issues for their own benefit and agenda. 'Nurses' are aware of what really occurs on the wards but as yet are not prepared or empowered to resolve them.

Mark, Newport, Gwent

This American cousin agrees w/ John C. Nurses, female and male, have saved my life on three occasions.

There is nothing wrong with expressing your sexualty, although professionalism must come fire. God bless the caregivers.

Nice stories regarding your two young princes, looks like you have a couple winners.

- Regards, from across the pond.

p/s - remember, Winston was half American!

"You have enemies? Good! It means that you stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Sir Winston

Steve, Branford, CT, USA

Gentle flirting okay.Quite harmless if it's mutual.My Dad(a very proper Church-goer)loved teasing/flirting with 2 nurses who loved looking after him and were always laughing.Even my Mum smiled!But anything else,why,quite "beyond the pale" I'm shocked!

HD, WsM,

Did not think I would be doing this but have to support the nurses in the attitiude of some of them towards patients of the opposite sex.
First and foremost it definitely ameliorates the situation whether one is an inpatient or an outpatient. The thought of being below par is definitely lessened by the occasional give away eye contact and the indication that banter would be in order as a next step.
They are in the main young and in any other work environment it would be unquestioned as to how they conduct themselves with people they come in contact with .
So leave them alone on this aspect, it lightens the load both for them and their patients.

john c, dorking,

Nurses are compassionate warriors, with healthy libidos and terrific senses of humour.
Be careful, nurses, the idiots are out to get you! And good on you for having fun!
Just brilliant that patients still have a shot at getting laid when they go to the hospital. Haven't heard any patients complaining. Except for old Lord Bumblebus. Sounds like sour grapes.

David MacKinnon, Amstelveen, Netherlands

It sounds as if he'd like to horse-whip them!
Nurses are human, they are used to bodies and the reality of life - and the need for comfort amidst fear.
The good Lord should shut his mouth and allow people who do good work to get on with their useful occupation.
There are many areas of a nurses work that he would be ignorant of, many areas that are never spoken ...He should be grateful he is not disabled etc.
Of course, from the sounds of him, this certainly will not stop him giving an opinion based on pure ignorance.

Nancy, Bristol,

These young women are at work and as such should act in a professional manner. If they wish to discuss their private lives then it should be in private. Bring back Matron, she'll sort them out.

D Shaw, Derby, England

Oh, nurse! NURSE!!

gster, pinehurst, USA/ nc

i dont see what is wrong, as long as he is alive and the world is still turning i dont see what all the hubbub is about.

erin, new mexico, USA

How lucky to have a nurse !

Ed Black, Scarborough, UK

dirty, promisuous and drunken - did he get their phone numbers?

Mick, Leeds,

No wonder our hospitals are so full!

Dave, Southampton, UK

I was in a critical/severe orthopaedic ward at UCH, London, after a car drove into me while I was on a motorcycle, inflicting near-fatal injuries. One night three patients died in my ward. The badinage with the nurses, in some cases leading to post-care liaisons, was a great help in getting us through the pain-filled days. Of course, if you throw young men and women together in an extreme situation, sexual sparks will fly.

Faustino, Brisbane, Australia

When I was at college more than thirty years ago, we had similar views to Lord Mancroft.

I even recall going to a blood donor session in order to invite the nurses to a party. Unfortunately they were the only females to turn up and promptly left at the shout of "***** great! ***** women !" from a prematurely inebriated law student (a member of the Footlights theatre group).

Thank You Richard. My only consolation is that Andy went on to take all the writing awards and not you.

Paul, Wellingborough, UK

Lord Mancroft has every right to voice concerns about a service which has failed, if indeed he had a very bad experience, somebody in a position such as his should speak out and ensure something is done about it. I also note that although he made some personally very insulting comments about those who were supposed to be in charge of his care, he did say that we should never generalise and complimented some other nurses he came into contact with. I am however absolutely appauled by his comment regarding his belief that the behaviour of these few nurses are an 'an accurate reflection of many young women in Britain today.' This is a very shortsighted view, which I personally find very insulting, these women do not provide an 'accurate representation' of all of us. He certainly does not have the right to condemn peoples' choice of lifestyle unless it is specifically affecting how people perform their duties at work, or causing disorder in public.

Meg, Norwich,