HC Deb 13 February 2004 vol 418 cc298-9W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurse whole-time equivalents are employed in each of the primary care trusts in Sussex; and what their responsibilities are. [154404]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The information on the number of school nurses and whole-time equivalents employed in each of the primary care trusts in Sussex is not collected centrally.

However the number of qualified nurses employed in each primary care trust (PCT) in the Sussex area, which includes school nurses, is shown in the table.

All NHS qualified hospital and community health service nurses and GMS practice nurses employed by unrestricted principles and equivalents (UPEs)1 in the specified organisations as at 30 September 2002
Whole time equivalent Headcount
Total of specified organisations 1,325 2,061
5FH Bexhill and Rother PCT 107 153
5FJ Hastings and St. Leonards PCT 94 151
5FK Mid-Sussex PCT 116 197
5L8 Adur, Arun and Worthing PCT 280 418
5L9 Western Sussex PCT 283 443
5LQ Brighton and Hove City PCT 65 110
5LT Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 218 335
5MA Crawley PCT 94 135
5MC Horsham and Chanctonbury PCT 70 119
1UPEs includes QMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried Gps.
Sources:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

School nurses' responsibilities cover children in the five to 16 age group in areas, which include general health care, drop-in cases, child protection, vaccinations, health checks, referrals on to general practitioners, target health checks (such as hearing tests), as well as requests from schools, one to one for parent or child.