§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many managers and administrators were employed by the NHS in each of the last five years; at what cost; what the total cost to the NHS was of management and administration in each of those years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [157322]
§ Mr. Denhamholding answer 9 April 2001]: The available information is contained in the tables.
Numbers of managers and administrators: National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Managers within the administration and estates staff group in England as at 30 September each year Headcount Senior Manager Manager 1996 7,310 13,960 1997 7,530 14,640 1998 7,990 14,710 1999 8,880 15,410 2000 8,890 16,370 The apparent increase is partly accounted for by the fact that managers in primary care groups and primary care teams were not previously recorded in the figures when working for general practitioner fundholders. Even so, nursing numbers have increased by far more than these figures.
Costs
Paybill costs of staff in senior management, management and administrative and clerical grades are not a reliable indicator of overall administration costs because for example, they do not include the non-staff costs of management, such as health authority accommodation.
Expenditure against the published definition of NHS management costs is the most reliable indicator of the cost of management and administration in the NHS. The 173W definition of management costs includes the staff costs of managers in health authorities, Primary Care Groups and NHS Trusts, as well as non-staff costs of HAs and PCGs.
Management costs at 1999–2000 prices £ million 1996–97 1,981 1997–98 1,857 1997–981 1,935 1998–99 1,874 1999–2000 1,799 1 Rebased Note:
The definition of management costs was revised for 1998–99 to capture some management activity previously excluded, mainly related to NHS Trusts purchasing private sector support services. To provide a consistent time series, the 1997–98 figure was rebased on the new definition.
Source:
Health authority and NHS trust annual accounts