§ Mr. PrescottTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how his Department calculates the number of nurses registered with the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting who are not currently practising nursing, and who are to be targeted in the campaign to recruit and retain nurses launched on Thursday 24 March.
§ Mr. NewtonAn analysis has been carried out of the live register of United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC), concentrating particularly on those nurses, midwives and health visitors who have confirmed or updated their registration details, but not paid the new periodic fee. The rationale for concentrating on this group is that, while their non-payment of the fee implies that they are not working in nursing, their desire to maintain a correct record of their registration particulars suggests the possibility of their availability for nursing work at a later date or if work become available to suit their personal circumstances. The UKCC estimates there will be a United Kingdom total of 85,000 people in this category once the periodic fee exercise is complete. The UKCC has advised district health authorities of the service it is able to provide in forwarding recruitment literature to this group of people.