HC Deb 24 July 1987 vol 120 c679W
Mr. Leighton

asked the Secretary of State for Services (1) how many nurses have left the profession in the past 12 months;

(2) how many nursing posts are vacant in the United Kingdom; and how many of those are in London.

Ms. Abbott

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the shortage of nurses in London.

Sir Barney Hayhoe

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to improve the recruitment, retention and motivation of nursing and other staffs in the hospital services in London.

Mr. Newton

Information about nursing and midwifery staff vacancies and the number of nurses and midwives who left the profession are not collected centrally.

The NHS Management Board has commended to health authorities a number of measures to improve the recruitment and retention of nursing staff. The board is currently considering what further action may be required at national or local level in the light of the latest information about the recruitment and retention situation in London. Although the available information relates mainly to nursing, the relevance of any proposed action to other staff groups is also being considered.

Mr. Leighton a

sked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to how many British nurses are to work in the United States of America as a result of the recent nursing jobs fair.

Mr. Newton

Not enough to make an assessment