National Health Service Employees (Hansard, 12 February 1976)

§ Mr. William Shelton
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will list the numbers employed in the National Health Service in the following categories for the years 1971 to 1974 and estimates for 1975 and 1976; hospital nurses and midwives—all grades, including students; hospital doctors and consultants—all grades and specialities; hospital domestic staff, all grades; all other hospital ancillary staff, all grades; hospital administrators and clerks, all grades; hospital professional and technical staff, all specialities; all other hospital staff grades not included above; health visitors; district nurses and mid-wives; and all other staff employed in community health.

§ Dr. Owen
It is not possible to make meaningful estimates of staff employed in the National Health Service since detailed decisions about staffing levels are taken by the individual Health Authorities in 325W the light of available resources and priorities. The actual figures for 1975 are currently being collected and processed.

NUMBERS EMPLOYED IN NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE 1971–74

ENGLAND-WHOLE TIME EQUIVALENTS (WTE)

1971 1972 1973 1974

(a) Hospital Nurses and Midwives 247,008 263,308 266,991 272,235

(b) Hospital Medical Staff (includes staff in Mass Radiography Units and Blood Transfusion Centres)^* 22,644 23,774 24,912 25,708

(c) Hospital Domestic Staff 75,105 75,004 74,435 74,254

(d)Other Hospital Ancillary Staff (includes Staff in Mass Radiography Units and Blood Transfusion Centres) 90,861 90,295 88,282 86,148

(e) Hospital Administrative and Clerical Staff (includes Staff in Mass Radiography Units and Blood Transfusion Centres) 45,886 48,778 52,425 57,272

(f) Hospital Professional and Technical Staff (includes Staff in Mass Radiography Units and Blood Transfusion Centres) 35,268 37,140 38,972 38,095†

(g) Other Hospital Staff:

(i) Hospital Dental Staff 712 739 742 789

(ii) Hospital Support Services Managers (Domestic, Laundry, Farms and Gardens, Catering, CSSD Managers, Storekeeper, Clerks etc.) 4,066 4,347 4,562 4,865

(iii) Hospital Maintenance Staff 16,684 17,408 16,953 17,643

(iv) Hospital Works Staff 2,398 2,509 2,590 2,527

(v) Nursing Cadets 6,703 6,532 5,910 4,563

(h) Regional Health Authority Headquarters Staff 6,200 6,872 7,164 7,352

(i) Health Visitors (including Trainees) 6,727 7,095 7,208 7,411

(j) District Nurses (including Trainees) 9,069 9,535 10,220 10,827

(k) Community Midwives (including Pupils) 5,051 4,954 4,854 4,237

(l) Other Community Health Staff (including School Health and Ambulance Staff) 42,824 43,603 45,579 46,657

^* Figures exclude locums and paragraph 94 appointments (i.e. GPs who work part of their time in hospitals).

† This figure excludes social workers (2,349 WTE in 1973) who were transferred to social services departments in 1974.

§ Mr. Mike Thomas
asked the Secretary of State for Social Service what are the main differences in contributions, elements of pay taken into account in assessing contributions, benefits, the respective degree of inflation-proofing and its date of commencement, the respective numbers in each scheme, and the respective cost in the last available year between the manual and staff pension schemes in the National Health Service; and whether any steps are currently being taken to reduce any differences between schemes.

§ Dr. Owen
The National Health Service superannuation scheme is a single pension scheme covering both manual and non-manual employees as well as doctors and dentists in general practice. Except for contribution rates the conditions of the scheme including arrangements for
326W
The information requested in respect of the years 1971–74 is given in the table below:
inflation proofing are the same for all members. The employee contribution rate for manuals is 5 per cent. and that for the remainder 6 per cent. I have no proposals at present for changing these rates.
At 31st March 1974 there were about 100,000 manual employees and about 350,000 others in the scheme.
Since pensions are calculated on identical bases no separate figures of the sums paid to former manual and non-manual employees are maintained.

NUMBERS EMPLOYED IN NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE 1971–74
	ENGLAND-WHOLE TIME EQUIVALENTS (WTE)
	1971	1972	1973	1974
(a) Hospital Nurses and Midwives	247,008	263,308	266,991	272,235
(b) Hospital Medical Staff (includes staff in Mass Radiography Units and Blood Transfusion Centres)^*	22,644	23,774	24,912	25,708
(c) Hospital Domestic Staff	75,105	75,004	74,435	74,254
(d)Other Hospital Ancillary Staff (includes Staff in Mass Radiography Units and Blood Transfusion Centres)	90,861	90,295	88,282	86,148
(e) Hospital Administrative and Clerical Staff (includes Staff in Mass Radiography Units and Blood Transfusion Centres)	45,886	48,778	52,425	57,272
(f) Hospital Professional and Technical Staff (includes Staff in Mass Radiography Units and Blood Transfusion Centres)	35,268	37,140	38,972	38,095†
(g) Other Hospital Staff:
(i) Hospital Dental Staff	712	739	742	789
(ii) Hospital Support Services Managers (Domestic, Laundry, Farms and Gardens, Catering, CSSD Managers, Storekeeper, Clerks etc.)	4,066	4,347	4,562	4,865
(iii) Hospital Maintenance Staff	16,684	17,408	16,953	17,643
(iv) Hospital Works Staff	2,398	2,509	2,590	2,527
(v) Nursing Cadets	6,703	6,532	5,910	4,563
(h) Regional Health Authority Headquarters Staff	6,200	6,872	7,164	7,352
(i) Health Visitors (including Trainees)	6,727	7,095	7,208	7,411
(j) District Nurses (including Trainees)	9,069	9,535	10,220	10,827
(k) Community Midwives (including Pupils)	5,051	4,954	4,854	4,237
(l) Other Community Health Staff (including School Health and Ambulance Staff)	42,824	43,603	45,579	46,657
^* Figures exclude locums and paragraph 94 appointments (i.e. GPs who work part of their time in hospitals).
† This figure excludes social workers (2,349 WTE in 1973) who were transferred to social services departments in 1974.