BLAIR DRIVE TO BRING BACK NURSES TO NHS; Jobs and pay pledge in campaign.

Byline: JAMES HARDY, Political Editor

TONY Blair will today kick off a massive recruitment drive for nurses with a pledge of better pay and conditions.

The Prime Minister will launch the appeal at the latest of the Government's Big Conversation meetings, hosted by the Mirror in Birmingham.

We are giving dozens of nurses - of all political opinions - the chance to put their views direct to Mr Blair in a face-to-face meeting.

Mr Blair will tell them they are the backbone of the health service and urge the thousands who have quit to have families to return to the NHS.

Labour has pledged to recruit 35,000 more nurses by 2008. The Government is also to launch a TV and newspaper advertising recruitment campaign starting next month.

Health Secretary John Reid, who will be at the meeting, said: "I want to use this event to listen to nurses.

"Maybe they will have friends and former colleagues who might be tempted back to working for the NHS by the changes we're making. They'd make a real difference to NHS patients."

Since 1999 more than 16,000 nurses have come back to the NHS - but ministers believe many more can be tempted to return.

The new campaign will also stress the huge changes in working conditions in hospitals over the past few years, including more family-friendly hours.

Mr Reid said: "There are more than 55,000 nurses working in the NHS than in 1997, but that's still not enough. Nurses are the driving force behind the NHS. It is their values that make the NHS special for staff and the British public - not its buildings, technology or procedures.

"Nursing is based on values which respect the dignity, autonomy and uniqueness of human beings. These values are more important now than ever.

"For too long nurses' work has been defined not in its own right, but against the work of doctors. Obedience used to define nursing, but professional practice today is not characterised by obedience.

"Caring was seen as a woman's duty but we know that men can care too - that's why we want more men to consider nursing."

The starting pay for a newly qualified nurse is pounds 16,525 - up 15 per cent since 1997 - rising to pounds 20,000 in Central London.

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TALKS: Health chief John Reid, left