§ 3.10 p.m.
§ Lord AYLESTONEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will state the ratio of nursing staff to patients in psychiatric hospitals in the United Kingdom on a convenient date in each of the last five years.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, the figures that I have show that the ratio has increased from 45.3 for every 100 in-patients in 1973 to (provisionally) 61.3 in 1977 in England, from 45.7 for every 100 in-patients in 1973 to (provisionally) 62.9 in 1977 in Wales, and from 45.84 for every 100 average occupied beds in 1973 to 54.34 in 1977 in Scotland. Figures are not available for Northern Ireland, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. In view of the debate we have just had, I will circulate the rest of the figures in the Official Report.
§ Following is the information referred to above:
§ The number of nursing staff per 100 in-patients in mental illness hospitals and units in England and Wales for the last five years for which figures are available is as follows:
| England | Wales | |
| 1973 | 45.3 | 45.7 |
| 1974 | 48.1 | 50.9 |
| 1975 | 54.8 | 55.4 |
| 1976 | 57.7 | 60.0 |
| 1977 | 61.3 (provisional) | 62.9 (provisional) |
§ The number of in-patients is recorded at 31st December each year, while the number of staff in post is recorded at 30th September. In view of this time lag the staff/patient ratio must be regarded as approximate.
§ The information for Scotland relates to the number of nursing staff per 100 average occupied beds for each year ending 30th September and for the last five years for which figures are available is as follows:
| 1973 | 45.84 |
| 1974 | 46.80 |
| 1975 | 51.86 |
| 1976 | 53.92 |
| 1977 | 54.34 |
§ I regret that figures for Northern Ireland are not available.
§ Lord AYLESTONEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply. If I have the figures correctly, there has been an improvement over the last five years, which is extremely gratifying. May I ask him whether the Government will do their utmost, if not to improve these figures, to see that they are maintained in the future?—because this is a particularly difficult branch of nursing for recruitment.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEMy Lords, I entirely agree with the noble Lord, and since 1977 the figures have continued to improve. It is certainly the intention of the department to encourage that in the future.