§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that the re-grading of nurse educators has the same criteria in applying grade indication factors for each regional health authority.
§ Mr. HayhoeUnder the terms of the flexible grading structure for senior educational staff, agreed by the nursing and midwifery staffs negotiating council, employing authorities have discretion to grade individual posts according to the weight of the particular responsibilities attaching to them by applying the nationally agreed "grading indication factors". The agreement also requires regional health authorities to exercise surveillance in order to ensure that grading levels proposed by employing authorities are appropriate to defined responsibilities and in line with existing grading standards.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of nurse teachers now in post in England and Wales; what is the percentage shortfall of the total number of established posts; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe total number* of all grades of teaching staff funded by the English and Welsh National Boards for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting in March 1985 (the latest date for which figures are available) expressed as whole-time equivalents was 3,557.6 and 213.65 respectively —a total of 3,771.25 for England and Wales.
Detailed information about vacancies is not collected centrally in England, but I am aware that a recent sample survey of English health authorities for the review body for nursing staff, midwives and health visitors showed that at 31 March 1985 6 per cent. of all whole-time equivalent funded posts in education, which includes non-tutorial staff, remained vacant for over three months.
In Wales, the funded establishment and the number in post are matters for the Welsh national board to determine in liaison with individual schools of nursing and details are in the board's annual report for 1984–85, a copy of which is in the Library.
* Source: Annual reports of the English and Welsh national boards for 1984–85.