§ Mr. Nicholas Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of medical and of non-medical staff employed in the National Health Service in Wales in 1950–51, 1960–61 and 1970–71 and at the latest date for which the figures are available; and what in each year was the ratio of medical and of non-medical staff to total population in Wales.
§ Mr. John MorrisThe best available information is shown below. The figures for 1971 and 1974 include local authority health service staff and their successors in the community health service; for the earlier years however comparable figures are not available.
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE STAFF Year Medical and dental staff* Other staff† Number‡ Ratio to population§ Number‡ Ratio to population§ 1951 2,100 1:1,240 17,900 1: 146 1961 2,500 1:1,055 26,800 1: 99 1971 3,700 1:737 47,800 1: 62 1974 (provisional) 4,300 1:629 48,100 1: 57 * Including general medical and dental practitioners. † "Other staff" includes nurses, midwives, professional and technical, administrative and ancillary staff. ‡ Numbers of staff in post. § Population figures are in each case the Registrar General's mid-year estimates.