HL Deb 19 July 1988 vol 499 c1293WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many vacancies there are in each regional health authority area for doctors, nurses and clerical staff.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Skelmersdale)

Information about vacant posts is not collected centrally for all the staff groups mentioned. As regards nurses the RHA Chairmen's annual survey of vacancies undertaken for the Nurses' Pay Review Body showed that at 31st March 1987, 3. per cent. of all nursing and midwifery staff posts had been vacant for three months or more. Where information is collected, it is not collected for all grades in the group. For doctors, such information as is available is set out in the table:

Table: Established medical posts without a permanent holder, England: whole-time equivalent at 30th September 1986. Total: consultants and senior registrar posts only.
Region Vacant posts (wte)
Northern 37.5
Yorkshire 60.6
Trent 56.0
East Anglian 24.3
Northern West Thames 29.0
North East Thames 86.8
South East Thames 48.8
South West Thames 49.8
Wessex 31.3
Oxford 47.5
South Western 20.8
West Midlands 82.5
Mersey 33.6
North Western 15.0
SHAs for the London post-graduate teaching hospitals 13.6

Note: Vacant posts are defined as established posts (excluding honorary posts) not occupied by a permanent holder. They include posts to which an appointment has been made but the holder has not taken up duty.