§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report, for the last year for which figues are available, the number of nursing posts lost, gained and the net outcome, in terms of full-time equivalents (in numbers and as a percentage of the total) in the following categories (a) nursing auxiliaries, (b) enrolled nurses, (c) staff nurses, (d) sister, grade II, (e) sister, grade I and (f) learners (pupils and students), broken down by regional and district health authority.
§ Mr. HayhoeI regret that information on the number of nursing posts lost or gained is not available centrally and the net change in staff in post broken down by regional and district health authorities could be supplied only at disproportionate cost. Information on the net change in staff in post in England between September 1983 and September 1984 is given in the table. Detailed information for September 1985 is not yet available but the provisional total number of nursing and midwifery staff shows an increase of 0.8 per cent. to 396,900.
Nursing and midwifery staff in specific grades (excluding agency staff) England—30 September 1983 1984 1984 to 1983 change WTE WTE Percentage Specific grades* Nursing auxiliaries 87,240 85,860 -1.6 Enrolled Nurses† 70,010 71,200 +1.7 Staff Nurses 63,060 65,730 +4.2 Nursing Sister II 64,370 63,740 -1.0 Nursing Sister I 9,630 9,360 -2.9 Learners(students and pupils)‡ 78,860 75,850 -3.8 All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Percentages have been calculated on unrounded figures. * The figures include all nursing and midwifery staff in these specific grades whatever area of work they are employed in: Health Visitors have been included in the Nursing Sister I category. † Includes senior enrolled nurse. ‡ Includes health visitors, district nurse and midwifery students. WTE = Whole time equivalent.