§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the nurse-to-patient ratio for each year since 1979 in (a) Clwyd area health authority and (b) Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristSuch information as is available is given in the table. Both the numbers of nurses employed and inpatients treated have increased significantly since 1979. The following figures reflect the more intensive care given to patients by nursing staff.
694W
1Nurses per in-patient case2 1Nurses per occupied bed3 Clwyd Wales Clwyd Wales 1979 0.056 0.059 1.19 1.14 1980 0.057 0.058 1.23 1.16 1981 0.058 0.059 1.29 1.23
1Nurses per in-patient case2 1Nurses per occupied bed3 Clwyd Wales Clwyd Wales 1982 0.060 0.061 1.35 1.27 1983 0.057 0.058 1.34 1.28 1984 0.054 0.056 1.38 1.32 1985 0.055 0.056 1.46 1.36 1986 0.057 0.055 1.54 1.42 1 Whole-time equivalents as at 30 September excluding nurses in community, school health, Blood Transfusion Service, senior management and teaching. Figures for 1979 have been adjusted to take into account the change in nurse working hours that occurred in 1980. 2 Total in-patient cases during year. 3 Daily count of occupied beds, averaged over calendar year.