§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in the National Care Standards Commission at 1 April; and what proportion of those staff have clinical contact with NHS patients. [56857]
§ Jacqui SmithThe National Care Standards Commission employed 1,866 staff at 1 April 2002.
The commission employs a range of staff including administrators and inspectors. While the commission's inspectors have qualifications relevant to the work they do in regulating services and establishments, including medical qualifications where appropriate, none of the commission's staff have clinical contact with national health service patients.