§ Mr. MacKenzieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many district nurses are available in each health board area to visit elderly and sick people in their own homes.
§ Mr. RifkindThe whole-time equivalent number of district nurses available in each health board area in Scotland at 30 September 1985* is as follows:
Number of District Nurses expressed as Whole-time equivalents Health Board Number Argyll and Clyde 163.0 Ayrshire and Arran 97.5 Borders 13.5 Dumfries and Galloway 35.7 Fife 150.0 Forth Valley 86.4 Grampian 192.9 Greater Glasgow 488.8 Highland 62.6 Lanarkshire 211.2 Lothian 239.1 Orkney 10.5 Shetland 5.1 Tayside 117.6 Western Isles 2.5 Scotland 1,876.4 * provisional The figures exclude community nurses (655.2 whole-time equivalents) who combine midwifery, district nurse and health visitor duties.
In 1985, 58 per cent. of visits by district nurses were to people aged 75 years and over and 81 per cent. to people aged 65 years and over.