HC Deb 11 February 1994 vol 237 cc542-3W
Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the percentage of front line ambulances by region which have a paramedic able to support a midwife in an emergency.

Mr. Sackville

The Government have set a target for every front-line ambulance to have a paramedic by the end of 1995. It is not known how many paramedics are able to support a midwife in an emergency at present, but training in this area is being developed.

Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Healph if she will list by region how many midwives have worked in the national health service for each of the last five years; how many midwives by region have direct access to beds in maternity units; and how many women delivered in a maternity unit are admitted under the management of the midwife.

Mr. Sackville

The information regarding the number of midwives working in the national health service for each of the last five years is shown in the table.

Information regarding the number of midwives who have access to beds in maternity units and the number of women delivered in maternity units who are admitted under the management of the midwife is not collected in the form requested.

Hospital and community midwives by region in England 1988–92 At September (excluding agency)
Whole-time equivalent
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
Hospital midwives
Northern 1,060 1,030 1,040 1,070 1,160
Yorkshire 1,270 1,280 1,300 1,280 1,260
Trent 1,330 1,360 1,400 1,390 1,410
East Anglian 610 600 600 580 550
North West Thames 940 950 960 910 890
North East Thames 1,300 1,270 1,340 1,350 1,420
South East Thames 810 610 1,070 1,030 1,090
South West Thames 830 840 790 860 1,120
Wessex 910 910 900 900 890
Oxford 780 800 830 850 790
South Western 780 970 950 860 900
West Midlands 1,730 1,770 1,850 1,800 1,890
Mersey 780 850 890 890 900
North Western 1,720 1,650 1,680 1,710 1,760
Special Health Authorities 150 140 60 70 70
England 14,990 15,040 15,660 15,540 16,090
Community midwives
Northern 260 260 240 240 240
Yorkshire 340 350 350 340 340
Trent 490 490 480 490 490
East Anglian 220 210 210 210 190
North West Thames 240 250 250 220 200
North East Thames 280 300 270 240 240
South East Thames 230 170 330 280 290
South West Thames 200 210 190 180 230
Wessex 250 240 240 240 250
Oxford 180 180 180 180 180
South Western 240 240 280 330 340
West Midlands 480 480 460 420 480
Mersey 240 230 230 220 220
North Western 460 460 470 490 440
Special Health Authorities 10 10 20 20 20
England 4,110 4,070 4,200 4,100 4,160
Community and Hospital Total 19,090 19,110 19,860 19,640 20,250

Source: HAP(STATS)B non-medical work force census.

Notes:

1. Figures are independently rounded to the nearest 10 whole-time equivalents.

2. England totals may not equal the sum of components due to rounding.