Ambulance Staff (Hansard, 12 December 1984)

§ Mrs. Dunwoody
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many ambulance staff have been admitted to inpatient hospital care, following assaults on them in the Greater London area in each of the last five years;
(2) how many ambulance staff have been (a) assaulted and (b) admitted to inpatient care in hospital, following assault, in each of the metropolitan counties in each of the last five years;
(3) how many assaults there have been on ambulance men in each of the last five years in the Greater London area.

§ Mr. John Patten
We do not collect this sort of detailed local information centrally. The hon. Member may wish to seek information from the chairman of the South West Thames regional health authority, which is responsible for the management of the London Ambulance Service.

§ Mrs. Dunwoody
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what terms and conditions apply to ambulance staff who are unable to work, following injuries received while at work.

§ Mr. John Patten
An agreement of the ambulance-men's Whitley Council provides for payment equivalent to full pay for up to six months, followed by half pay for up to a further six months. There are additional provisions applying to all Health Service employees who are absent on reduced or no pay because of an injury or whose earning ability is permanently reduced.

NHS Hospitals in England: activity during the year

1970 ^†l975 1980 1983

Inpatient discharges and deaths 5,011,713 4,975,750 5,670,001 6,018,585

Day case attendances ^*N/A 421,698 670,794 813,218

Total outpatient attendances 32,354,802 30,947,482 35,242,980 36,519,550

Total Accident and Emergency attendances 13,321,653 12,791,720 13,052,622 13,603,075

^* Day case figures not collected separately before 1972

† Activity levels in 1975 were affected by industrial action in the health service.

Staffing in NHS Hospitals in England at 30 September (whole-time equivalents)

1970 1975 1980 1983

^*Medical and Dental staff 23,692 29,752 34,732 36,628

^†^‡Nursing and Midwifery Staff 240,080 304,510 330,170 350,560

^* Includes hospital practitioners, clinical assistants and locums

^† Includes all agency staff: in 1983 around 2 per cent, of these were employed in the community but it is not possible to separate these from hospital staff for all the years requested.

^‡ Not adjusted for the reduction in working hours in 1980 (from 40 to 37½ hours per week).

NHS Hospitals in England: activity during the year
	1970	^†l975	1980	1983
Inpatient discharges and deaths	5,011,713	4,975,750	5,670,001	6,018,585
Day case attendances	^*N/A	421,698	670,794	813,218
Total outpatient attendances	32,354,802	30,947,482	35,242,980	36,519,550
Total Accident and Emergency attendances	13,321,653	12,791,720	13,052,622	13,603,075
^* Day case figures not collected separately before 1972
† Activity levels in 1975 were affected by industrial action in the health service.

Staffing in NHS Hospitals in England at 30 September (whole-time equivalents)
	1970	1975	1980	1983
^*Medical and Dental staff	23,692	29,752	34,732	36,628
^†^‡Nursing and Midwifery Staff	240,080	304,510	330,170	350,560
^* Includes hospital practitioners, clinical assistants and locums
^† Includes all agency staff: in 1983 around 2 per cent, of these were employed in the community but it is not possible to separate these from hospital staff for all the years requested.
^‡ Not adjusted for the reduction in working hours in 1980 (from 40 to 37½ hours per week).