§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what central information her Department collects on the number of newly qualified nurses seeking employment.
§ Ms. Janet AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those regional health authorities that have deployed strategies to ensure that student nurses are not employed when they qualify.
§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will establish a national database of nursing vacancies;
(2) if she will list those regional health authorities which have sent information to the NHS management executive on the number of student nurses due to qualify in 1993.
§ Mr. SackvilleWith around 390,000 nursing posts in the national health service in England, the matching of newly qualified nurses to vacancies is best handled at local level. The Department does not therefore routinely collect information about nursing vacancies or newly qualified nurses seeking employment.
Regional health authorities are responsible for ensuring there are sufficient trained nurses to meet local requirements. All regions have reported to the NHS management executive about their plans to manage the supply of trained nurses to posts in 1993.