§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what estimate he has of the total number of staff nurses practising in hospitals within the National Health Service;
(2) what estimate he has of the total number of ward sisters and charge nurses practising in hospitals within the National Health Service;
197W(3) what estimate he has of the total number of state enrolled nurses practising in hospitals within the National Health Service.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyThe numbers employed in National Health Service hospitals at 31st March, 1969, the latest date for which information is available, were as follows:
State Enrolled Nurses 45,113 Staff Nurses 46,793 Ward Sisters / Charge Nurses 38,478
§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has of the total number of state registered nurses in active employment in Great Britain, full or part-time.
§ John DunwoodyDr. The latest available figures for the National Health Service and the Special and State hospitals are:—
National Health Service Hospitals 99,429 at 31st 1969 Local health authority services 27,546 at 30th September 1968 Employed by National Health Service general medical practitioners An average whole-time equivalent of about medical practitioners 300 during the quarter ended 31st March 1969 Special hospitals (England) and State hospitals (Scotland) 606 at 1st October 1969 About 500 are employed by Government Departments. Information is not available in respect of other employment.
§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has of the percentage of state registered nurses employed in the National Health Service who were born in Great Britain.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyInformation for an estimate is not available.
Mr. Roebucktoasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware of the resentment felt by nurses employed by the National Health Service by reason of contracts being offered to agency nurses by National Health Service hospitals at superior remuneration; what action he proposes take; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyWe are aware that the employment of agency nurses may in some cases create difficulties in198W the allocation of duties, and the discretion of hospital boards to employ them has been limited to the minimum necessary to avoid disruption of services to patients.
§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the shortage of nurses in National Health Service hospitals in the Greater London area; and what steps he proposes to fill the vacancies.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyI would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's reply on 20th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, North-West (Sir B. Janner), which applies to the country as a whole. T he London teaching hospitals and the metropolitan hospital regions as a whole have more nurses per 100 occupied beds, in non-psychiatric hospitals, than the national average; for psychiatric hospitals they are below the national average.—[Vol. 788, c.156–7.]
§ Mr. Roebuckasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the gross weekly cost to the National Health Service of employing directly a state-registered nurse in a hospital; and what is the gross weekly cost of employing an agency nurse in a National Health Service hospital.
Dr. John Dunwoo dyComparison depends on the charges of the different agencies, which vary considerably. Recent information indicates that in London the gross cost per week of employing an agency nurse might range from £21 to £26 5s. Od. and of a directly employed non-resident state registered nurse in the grade of staff nurse from £21 to £25 15s. Od. These figures exclude employers' national insurance contributions and selective employment tax, additional payments for weekend and night duty, and the enhanced rate:3 paid to directly employed nurses in psychiatric and geriatric hospitals.
§ Mr. Crouchasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) in view of the need to retain the services of as many trained nurses as possible, if he will review his policy with regard to the employment of agency nurses in the National Health Services;
199W(2) in view of the fact that, taking into account all costs relative to recruitment and administration of National Health Service staff nurses, it is cheaper for the National Health Service to employ the services of agency nurses, if he will now ensure that such nurses are employed to the maximum extent in the National Health Service.
§ Dr. John DunwoodySince the "fact" which forms the premise of the hon. Gentleman's contention about cost is not a fact, the conclusion he draws from it falls to the ground.
In any case there are other considerations relevant to the employment of agency nurses, and my right hon. Friend intends to continue the policy of limiting this.
§ Mrs. Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will conduct a departmental investigation into the conditions and pay of nurses in connection with the new settlement to come into force on 1st April, 1970.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyMy Department will give all possible help to the Whitley Council in obtaining the information it requires.