§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what method his department uses to obtain figures relating to midwives employed by the National Health Service.
Mr. NevvtonComputer tapes are received quarterly from regional payroll systems. Those data for midwives are then extracted by using the particular pay scale and occupation code.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many midwives were employed by the National Health Service in each year since 1976, expressing the figures both in terms of whole-time equivalents and of the total number of employees, and adjusted to take account of the change in the working week.
§ Mr. NewtonI am sorry I am unable to provide all the information the hon. Member requires. Numbers (head count) of midwives for the years 1976 to 1979 were not provided for staff working in primary health care, and376W therefore total numbers cannot be produced on a comparable basis with those from 1980 onwards. Such information as is available centrally is shown in the table.
Midwifery Staff1 as at 30 September—England Numbers and Whole-Time Equivalent2 Number Whole-time equivalent Adjusted1 whole-time equivalent 1986 n/a 19,560 20,900 1977 n/a 20,060 21,400 1978 n/a 20,020 21,360 1979 n/a 20,150 21,490 1980 22,450 20,060 * 1981 23,110 20,910 * 1982 22,680 20,410 * 1983 24,590 22,070 * 1984 25,210 22,570 * 1985 25,460 22,810 * Source: DHSS Annual Census of NHS non-medical Manpower. Notes: 1 Includes midwives in the hospital and community services, in administration, and student midwives. Excluding agency staff. 2 All figures are independently rounded to nearest ten (10). 3 Adjusted to take account of the reduction in nurses working hours (from 40 to 37.5 week) during 1980 n/a Not available * Not applicable.