§ Mrs. Doris Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the establishment figure for nurses ; and how it compares with the number employed in the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board.
§ Mr. AlisonThere is no nationally accepted basis for determining the nurse staffing establishment of hospitals. Individual hospital authorities, in association as appropriate with regional hospital boards, are responsible for assessing the nurse staffing requirements of the hospitals which they administer.
21WThe total number of nursing staff employed in Birmingham Regional Hospital Board's hospitals at 30th September 1973 was 24,507 (whole-time equivalent).
§ Mrs. Doris Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will name the hospitals in the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board area which use nursing agencies to recruit nurses.
§ Mr. AlisonAgency nurses are currently employed in the Dudley Road and Groundslow hospitals.
§ Mrs. Doris Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost of employing agency nurses during 1971–72 and 1972–73 by the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board ; and what would have been the cost of these nurses had they been employed directly by the hospital board.
§ Mr. AlisonAs follows:
Total expenditure £ Estimated equivalent expenditure for directly employed nurses £ 1971–72 39,273 35,000 1972–73 19,306 17,000 Because agency charges vary from one agency to another and directly employed nurses are paid on a scale and not on a flat rate, the comparative cost of agency nurses and directly employed nurses can vary from case to case.