HC Deb 13 July 1987 vol 119 cc378-9W
Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are employed in the National Health Service; what was the comparable figure for 1979; and if he will break down both figures to show the tasks for which they were employed.

Mr. Newton

The figures requested are shown in the table.

For non-medical staff, numbers (actual head counts) are not available centrally for 1979 on a consistent basis with those for latter years; we have given therefore a whole-time equivalent (WTE) comparison for 1979 and 1986. Whole-time equivalent figures for September 1986 are still on a provisional basis.

For medical and dental staff, figures comparable with the available non-medical figures have been used to retain consistency and comparability of England totals.

NHS directly employed staff—30 September England
1Whole-time equivalents
1979 21986
Medical and dental3 39,000 43,200
Nursing and midwifery4 5358,400 402,100
Professional and technical (excl. works) 660,100 76,100
Works 5,600 5,800
Maintenance 20,100 19,100

1979 21986
Administration and clerical 103,000 111,400
Ambulance 17,100 18,900
Ancillary 6171,900 124,300
Total staff 775,300 801,000

Source:DHSS (SR7) annual censuses of NHS medical and non-medical manpower.

1 All figures are independently rounded to the nearest 100 whole-time equivalent.

2 Provisional.

3 Includes hospital practitioners, part-time medical and dental officers (clinical assistants) and locums.

4 Includes agency nursing and midwifery staff.

5 Not adjusted for the reduction in nurses working hours during 1980–81 (from 40.0 to 37.5 hours per week).

6 Not adjusted to take account of the transfer of operating department assistants (ODAs) some 2,600 wte from ancillary to professional and technical staff group on 1 April 1984.