HC Deb 06 May 2003 vol 404 cc659-60W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) gardening staff, (b) electricians, (c) plumbers and (d) hospital secretaries are employed in the NHS as part of the latest figures for Estates and Administration staff, by (i) headcount and (ii) whole time equivalents; and how many there were in 1997. [109931]

Mr. Hutton

Information on numbers of gardening staff, electricians, plumbers and hospital secretaries is not separately available, the first three are included within the 'maintenance and works' category, and medical secretaries are included in 'clerical and administrative staff in clinical support'. The information available is shown in the table.

NHS Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS): Maintenance and works staff and clerical and administrative staff within clinical support in England as at 30 September each year
1997 2001
Whole-time equivalent
Maintenance and works staff1 13,295 11,758
Clerical and administrative staff—clinical support2 49,729 60,346
Headcount
Maintenance and works staff1 13,614 12,109
Clerical and administrative staff—clinical support2 63,971 77,861
1 Maintenance and works staff includes gardeners, electricians, plumbers, caretakers and engineers who look after physical buildings.
2 Clerical and administrative staff in clinical support includes medical secretaries, blood transfusion service, family planning, etc.

Note:

Figures are rounded to the nearest whole number

Source:

Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census