§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to increase the recruitment of health visitors; and how many are at present (a) in training and (b) employment.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeIt is for health authorities to determine the need for any increased provision for health visitors in their districts but we have, over a 3-year period, made extra money available to inner city health authorities for the training of additional health visitors and district nurses. At 30 September 1983 there were, in whole-time equivalent terms, 1,023 student health visitors and 9,708 health visitors, including field work teachers and multiple duty staff, employed in the National Health Service in England.