HC Deb 12 April 1988 vol 131 c120W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many nurses are currently employed by health authorities in England; and how many are undertaking further training to improve the scope and standard of their skills.

Mr. Newton

There were 236,800 whole-time equivalent qualified nurses and midwives employed in the NHS in England at 30 September 1986.

Information supplied by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting showed that about 10,000 qualified nurses and midwives entered some form of post-basic nurse training during the year ended 31 March 1987. Details are :

Numbers
Midwifery, District Nursing and Health Visiting 4,830
Teachers training 1,180
Other Post basic training 3,880

In addition, an unknown number would have received further training organised by individual health authorities and in-service training.