HC Deb 25 July 1985 vol 83 cc761-3W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each of the years 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, for England (a) the total number of visits by district nurses and the rate per 1,000 population and (b) the number of persons first seen by a district nurse and the rate per 1,000 population for the following age groups (i) up to five years, (ii) five to 16 years, (iii) 16 to 64 years, (iv) 65 years and over and (v) all ages.

Persons Treated (First Treatments) by District Nurses and Rates per Thousand Population
England
1981 1982 1983
Age Group Persons treated (thousands) Rate Persons treated (thousands) Rate Persons treated (thousands) Rate
Under 5 years 170.8 60 172.1 60 166.1 56
5–16 years 259.3 32 251.4 32 244.9 32
17–64 years 1,495.9 52 1,511.7 52 1,580.3 54
65 years and over 1,441.0 202 1,497.9 211 1,559.9 221
All Ages 3,367.0 72 3,433.1 73 3,551.2 76

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will list for each of the years 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984 for England (a) the total number of visits by health visitors and the rate per 1,000 population and (b) the number of persons first seen by a health visitor and the rate per 1,000 population for the following age groups (i) children born that year, (ii) up to five years, (iii) five to 16 years, (iv) 16 to 64 years, (v) 65 years and over and (vi) all ages.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The information requested is given in the table. All visits other than those to households

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

We do not collect centrally information on the total number of visits by district nurses. The table shows the number of persons treated by district nurses. Patients are counted and their age recorded at the time of their first treatment by a district nurse within the health district during the calendar year. We do not yet have statistics for 1984.

where there is tuberculosis or other infectious diseases are included. A "first visit" is defined as the first visit received by a person from any member of the health visiting staff in the health district during the calendar year. If a person who has been seen by a health visitor moves to a new health district and is visited there by a health visitor during the same calendar year, "first visits" will be recorded in respect of this person by both health districts. It is therefore possible for the number of first visits to exceed the population in a given age group. We do not yet have statistics for 1984.

Visits by Health Visitors and Rates per Thousand Population
England
1981 1982 1983
Total Visits first Visits Total Visits First Visits Total Visits First Visits
Age Group Thousands Rate Thousands Rate Thousands Rate Thousands Rate Thousands Rate Thousands Rate
Born in current year 3,053.8 5,090 646.5 1,080 3,058.2 5,189 632.7 1,070 3,066.0 5,170 6380 1,080
Other Children under 5 yean 5,180.2 2,318 1,638.1 733 5,355.4 2,322 1,667.8 723 5,376.1 2,283 1.677.2 712
5–16 years 493.3 60 215.1 26 488.6 61 212.5 27 475.2 62 205.7 27
17–64 years 2,340.1 82 798.5 28 2,535.9 88 840.4 29 2,719.6 93 890.6 31
65 years and over 1,407.2 197 461.7 65 1,367.9 192 458.2 64 1,321.0 187 446.3 63
All Ages 12,474.7 267 3,759.9 80 12,806.0 274 3,811.6 81 12,957.9 277 3,857.7 82

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for the years 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, for England, the number of whole time equivalent staff in each of the following categories (a) health visitors, (b) health visitor trainees, (c) tuberculosis visitors and (d) district nurses.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

We do not yet have information at this level of detail for 1984. Figures for the remaining years are shown in the table.

NHS directly employed staff—England—in post at 30 September
*Whole-time equivalents
1981 1982 1983
Health visitors† 9,240 9,500 9,710
Health visitors students 1,130 1,070 1,020
Tuberculosis visitors‡ 60 60 50
District nurses║ 14,520 14,900 15,120

Source: SR7 Annual Census of Non-Medical Manpower.

* All figures rounded to the nearest 10.

† Includes health visitors, health visitor field work teachers, T.B. visitors with health visiting certificates, health visitor/district nurse/ midwife, health visitor/midwife, and school health visitors.

‡Without health visitor certificate.

║ Includes district nurses, district nurse practical work teachers, SRN, SSEN & SEN with district training, SSEN and SEN assisting district nurses and district nurses/midwives.

Forward to