§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has about the recruitment of
Net changes in the numbers of nurse learners in post at 30 September—England Whole time equivalents Registered nurse training net change Enrolled nurse training net change between 1983 and 1984 between 1984 and 1985 between 1983 and 1984 between 1984 and 1985 General1 +180 -1,220 -2,460 -2,070 Mental illness + 50 -240 -510 -440 Mental handicap ±0 +40 -270 -250 Midwifery2 -10 -360 — — Health Visitor -50 -100 4 4 District Nurse3 + 70 + 60 — — Total +240 -1,830 -3,240 -2,760 1Includes all nurse learners undertaking basic nurse training other than MI and MH and post-registration training except the courses separately identified in the table. 2Includes direct entrant midwifery students. 3Includes enrolled nurses undertaking district training. 4Not applicable. 5The figures have been independently rounded to the nearest 10. Source:DHSS Annual Census of non-medical manpower.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide figures for numbers of nurses, broken down by category, completing training for every year from 1980 to 1990; and if he will publish comparable figures on the projected increase in demand for nursing staff from health authorities' annual programmes.
§ Mr. NewtonI regret that not all the information requested is available. Health authorities' plans for nurse training and projected increases in demand for the period up to 1990 are subject to continuing discussion and refinement between regional and district health authorities. Information supplied by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting and its predecessor on the number of nurse learners completing training between 1980 and 1986 and projections to 1989 is shown in the table.
586W
Number of nurse learners completing basic nurse training England1 Year ended 31 March Registered nurse training Enrolled nurse training 1980 14,041 9,207 1981 14,587 8,985 1982 14,314 9,780 1983 15,013 11,460 19842 11,526 7,113 1985 16,819 9,027 1986 15,515 7,148 19873 14,500 5,050 19883 15,750 4,080 198934 15,250 — British nurses by Australia and of offers of better pay and career prospects; and if he will take steps to ensure that any such information is considered by the National Health Service management board in the course of its review of the problems of recruiting nurses.
§ Mr. NewtonI shall write to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer of 23 June, Official Report, columns 63–64, if he will (a) provide a breakdown of the net 3,010 whole-time equivalent figure for the reduction in nurse learners between 1983–84 and (b) provide similar figures for 1984–85.
§ Mr. NewtonThe information is as follows:
1 Figures prior to 1984 relate to England and Wales. 2 These figures relate to 9 months only — 1 July 1983 to 31 March 1984. 3 Estimated figures assuming current wastage rates. 4 Estimates only possible for 3 years for Registered Nurses and 2 years for Enrolled nurses from 1986 (latest available figures on intakes to training).