§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the proportion of nurses per head of population was in(a) St. Helens, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) England in each year since 1992. [147169]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information requested is shown in the table.
1359W
1997 19984 19994 2000 2001 2002 England Population 48,635,908 48,789,240 48,986,999 49,166,627 49,389,736 49,558.821 Practice nurses 18,389 18,894 19,495 19,200 19,846 20,983 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.38 0.39 0.40 0.39 0.40 0.42 Qualified nursing staff5 300,467 304,563 310,142 316,752 330,535 346,537 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.18 6.24 6.33 6.44 6.69 6.99 of which: North West Government Office Region Population 6,800,318 6,793,833 6,770,152 6,769,483 6,767,217 6,770,981 Practice nurses 2,261 2,335 2,566 2.411 2,602 2,616 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.33 0.34 0.38 0.36 0.38 0.39 Qualified nursing staff5 46,213 46,901 47,672 48,395 48,821 53.373 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.80 6.90 7.04 7.15 7.21 7.88 of which: Cheshire and Merseyside SHA Population 2,365,631 2,361,200 2,350,901 2,349,300 2,349,581 2,347,088 Practice nurses 690 682 794 782 849 905 Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.29 0.29 0.34 0.33 0.36 0.39 Qualified nursing staff5 14,874 15,319 15,766 16,473 17,150 19,091 Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 6.29 6.49 6.71 7.01 7.30 8.13 of which: St. Helens's and Knowsley HA Population 329,194 328,976 327,852 327,592 — — Practice nurses 101 115 114 110 111 — Practice nurses per 1,000 of population 0.31 0.35 0.35 0.34 — — Qualified nursing staff5 1,637 1,607 1,652 1,682 1,795 — Qualified nursing per 1,000 of population 4.97 4.88 5.04 5.13 — — 1 UPEs includes GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs and PMS salaried Gps. 2 Figures for 1992 to 1994 may not be fully comparable with other data due to under-reporting of fundholding practice staff by FHSAs. 3 Includes estimated data for Buckinghamshire. 4 Headcount practice nurse figures are estimated for these years. 5 Refers to qualified nursing staff in the hospital, public health and community health service sectors. Notes:
1. Data as at 1 October 1992–99 and 30 September 2000–02.
2. A new classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Information based on this classification is not directly comparable with earlier years.
3.'—' Accurate comparable information is not available.
Sources:
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census
2001 ONS Population Census
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 5 January 2004,Official Report, column 203W, on nurse recruitment, if he will list the countries from which his Department has received written representations regarding the recruitment of nurses; and if he will make a statement. [148050]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Government has nurse recruitment agreements with Spain, the Philippines, India and Indonesia. A memorandum of understanding has recently been signed with the Government of South Africa.
The Chinese Government has recently written to the Department to ask for a meeting to discuss opportunities for nurse recruitment.