§ Ms LynneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what goals she has set for the employment of women in professional and managerial posts in the national health service; and what progress is being made towards them;
(2) what mechanisms she has established to monitor how effectively the goals for the employment of women in professional and managerial posts in the national health service are being reached.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe NHS women's unit was established by the national health service management executive in October 1991 to take forward the implementation of Opportunity 2000 in the NHS. The management executive has set a series of eight goals for the NHS for achievement by 1994 which specify targets in management, accountancy, appointment of medical staff, appointment of non-executive board members, access to training and development and the encouragement of flexible working.
The role of the NHS women's unit is to establish national strategies and give guidance on priorities, agree and monitor performance targets for Opportunity 2000 in the NHS, recognise good performance and intervene to correct poor performance and encourage innovation and the dissemination of good practice.
Goal 1. Increase the number of women in general management posts from 18 per cent. in 1991 to 30 per cent. in 1994.38 per cent. (58 out of 154) of vacant Chief Executive/General Manager posts in the 22 months between April 1992 and January 1994 went to women.Goal 2. Increase the number of qualified women accountants in the NHS to 35 per cent. by 1994.Almost 50 per cent. of trainee accountants are women. If all female trainees currently studying achieve success in their examinations this number will rise to 33 per cent.Goal 3. Increase the percentage of women consultants from 15.5 per cent. in 1991 to 20 per cent. by 1994 necessitating an annual increase of 10 per cent. Accelerate the rate of increase in the number of women consultants in surgical specialities from the current 9.7 per cent. per annum to 15 per cent. per annumFour regions have already exceeded the 1994 target.Goal 4. Increase the representation of women as members of authorities and trusts from 29 per cent. in 1991 to 35 per cent. in 1994.The 1994 target has already been exceeded. Ministers expect to maintain this progress with fourth wave trust appointments.Goal 5. Introduce a programme allowing women aspiring to management positions to go through a development centre with a view to establishing their own personal development needs.Goal 6. Introduce initiatives on recruitment and retention to ensure that the number of qualified nurses and midwives leaving the profession does not rise.443WGoal 7. Ensure that following maternity leave or a career break all women, including those returning to nursing part-time or as a job share, are able to return at a grade commensurate with their leaving grade and to work of a similar status.Goal 8. Monitor the time taken for nurses to reach management positions to ensure that men and women have equal access to these positions.Progress on goals 5 to 8. These goals are about good employment practice. Authorities and trusts are addressing local needs in individual action plans. Over 50 per cent. of health authorities and trusts provide some form of help with child care provision and flexible working.