§ Bob Russell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is he taking to fill vacancies for midwives in the area of the Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust; and if he will make a statement. [131613]
§ Dr. Ladyman:Essex Rivers Healthcare National Health Service Trust has embarked on a recruitment campaign to obtain more midwives and expects to appoint five whole time equivalent midwives in the near future.
A range of recruitment, retention and returner initiatives are in place to facilitate the NHS meeting the increase of 2,000 midwives by 2006. The NHS is striving to be an employer of choice and is in the process of developing and implementing modern recruitment practices. We are committed to increasing the numbers of midwives working in the NHS in order to expand service provision.
§ Bob Russell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are for midwives in the (a) Essex strategic health authority area and (b) Essex Rivers healthcare trust. [131612]
§ Dr. Ladyman:The total number of vacancies for midwives is not recorded centrally. However, the number of three month vacancies for registered midwives in the Essex strategic health authority area, as at 31 March 2003, is 16. Of these, three were within Essex Rivers healthcare national health service trust.