§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many agency nurses are at present employed in the Yorkshire Region at the latest available date; and how this compares with the number available in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe following table shows the number and whole-time 149W equivalent of agency nurses and midwives employed in the Leeds RHB/Yorkshire
AGENCY NURSING AND MIDWIFERY STAFF IN NHS HOSPITALS YORKSHIRE RHA (Leeds RHB prior to 1st April 1974)—30th September Leeds RHB Yorkshire RHA 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 Total: No. 2 2 Nil Nil 31 51 Nil Nil Wte. 2.0 2.0 Nil Nil 22.9 33.7 Nil Nil Nursing Staff: No. Nil Nil Nil Nil 31 51 Nil Nil Wte. Nil Nil Nil Nil 22.9 33.7 Nil Nil Midwifery Staff: No. 2 2 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Wte. 2.0 2.0 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average salary of a ward sister, a staff nurse, a qualified nurse, and an auxiliary nurse in the Yorkshire Region in 1973; and what is the current salary for each post.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe information requested for Yorkshire region is not available.
The mean of each national salary scale, agreed by the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council, for the grades requested, at 1st April 1973 and 1st April 1978 were:
1st April 1973 1st April 1978 £ £ Auxiliary nurse 895 2,396 State enrolled nurse 1,146 2,748 Staff nurse 1,297 3,080 Ward sister 1,731 3,941
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage drop in salary has been suffered by a ward sister, a staff nurse, a qualified nurse, and an auxiliary nurse in the Yorkshire Region, based on the increase in the cost of living index from 1973 to the latest available date.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe salaries of nurses working in the National Health Service in all regions and areas of Great Britain are in accordance with scales agreed by the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council. Movement at the minimum point of the salary scale, for the grades requested, from 1st April 1973 to 10th April 1978, and comparable movement in the Department of Employment Retail Price Index from August 1973 to August 1978, are set out below.
150WRHA at 30th September from 1970 to 1977—the latest available date:
Percentage increase in minimum point of salary scales effective from 1st April 1973 and 1st April 1978 Percentage RP1 increase August 1973 to August 1978 Nursing auxiliary 211.7 112.1 Enrolled nurse 136.7 Staff nurse 133.9 Ward sister 127.9
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average amount of overtime that nurses of all grades are currently asked to work; and what was this figure in 1973.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe information requested is not available centrally.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the recognised establishment of nurses in the Kirklees area now, and what was the figure in 1973.
§ Mr. DeakinsComparable figures for 1973 are not available: the current funded establishment is 2,834 nurses—whole-time equivalent—compared with 2,505—whole-time equivalent—in April 1974.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what qualifications are required before a nurse is allowed to take up nursing.
§ Mr. DeakinsBefore taking up nursing as a qualified nurse, on successful completion of training, a nurse must have her name placed on the register or roll of nurses maintained by the General Nursing Council for England and Wales. The statutory requirement for entry to 151W nurse training for qualification as State registered nurse is a minimum of two passes at GCE "O" level, or CSE Grade 1 pass, or a pass in the General Nursing Council's educational test. Nurse training for qualification as State enrolled nurse requires a good all-round education.
§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the establishment of nurses in each and every region in England and Wales; and what is the actual number currently employed in each region.
§ Mr. DeakinsInformation about the establishments of nursing and midwifery staff, which are determined locally within health authorities' financial allocations, is not available centrally.
The whole-time equivalent numbers of qualified nurses and midwives and of nursing and midwifery staff—which includes unqualified staff—employed in each region in England and in Wales on 31st March 1978 was:
Qualified Nurses and Midwives Nursing and Midwifery Staff Northern region 13,097 22,315 Yorkshire region 14,033 26,074 Trent region 15,439 28,972 East Anglian region 6,427 12,039 NW Thames region 14,118 24,955 NE Thames region 15,916 29,140 SE Thames region 16,400 28,737 SW Thames region 12,898 22,225 Wessex region 9,940 18,145 Oxford region 7,641 14,060 South-Western region 12,088 22,314 West Midlands region 18,789 34,857 Mersey region 11,216 20,130 North-Western region 16,473 30,172 Wales (Not available) 22,299 The above figures do not include staff of the London postgraduate teaching hospitals, agency staff or nursing cadets.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take the necessary action to ensure that nurses will be able to obtain substantial increases in their salaries; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. DeakinsI refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) earlier today.