§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list for each district health authority 667W in England, the number of whole-time equivalent health visitors employed per head of the population aged (a) up to five years and (b)65 years and over;
(2) if he will list, for every health authority in England (a) the number of whole-time equivalent district nurses employed in 1979–80, (b) the number of whole-time equivalent district nurses employed in 1986–87 and (c) the number of district nurses employed per 1,000 of the population aged 65 years and over;
(3) if he will indicate, for each district health authority in England, the number of whole-time equivalent health visitors employed in (a)1979–80 and (b)1986–87.
§ Mr. Newton[/holding answer 14 July 1988]: I regret that it is not possible to provide all the information requested.
The number of health visitors and the total qualified district nursing staff employed in each region at September 1979 and September 1986 is shown in the table. Comparable figures by district health authority for 1979 and 1986 are not available because of the 1982 NHS reorganisation. As regards ratios of staff to population it is not meaningful to provide such information for specific age groups as the staff provide care to all ages.
Qualified health visitors and district nursing staff employed in each regional health authority—30 September Wholetime equivalents1 Qualified health visitors2 Qualified district nursing staff3 1979 1986 1979 1986 Northern 560 690 1,050 1,160 Yorkshire 670 740 1,060 1,110 Trent 780 960 1,330 1,520 East Anglian 310 370 530 590 North West Thames 680 810 930 990 North East Thames 600 740 1,000 1,010 South East Thames 710 830 1,160 1,240 South West Thames 670 640 930 970 Wessex 530 610 720 910 Oxford 530 560 690 690 South Western 590 680 840 970 West Midlands 980 1,120 1,430 1,570 Mersey 490 500 740 800 North Western 920 1,170 1,530 1,640 London Post-Graduate Special Health Authorities — — — 20 England total 9,010 10,430 13,930 15,190 Source: DHSS Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.
Notes:
1 Figures are independently rounded to the nearest ten (10) wholetime equivalents.
2 Includes health visitors in both the Community and School Health Services, HV fieldwork teachers, TB visitors with HV certificate, dual/triple posts (HV/DN/Mid) and bank health visitors. Excludes HV students and other qualified and unqualified nursing staff.
3 Includes district nurse practical work teachers; registered and enrolled nurses assisting district nurses, dual posts (DN/Mid) and bank district nurses. Excludes DN students and unqualified nursing staff.
Numbers entering registered and enrolled mental handicap nurse training—England—Years ended 31 March 1984–851 1985–861 1986–872 Registered training Enrolled training Registered training Enrolled training Registered training Enrolled training Northern 61 23 48 Nil 77 — Yorkshire 63 30 67 18 72 9 Trent 79 46 59 23 101 26 East Anglian 23 10 28 6 36 20 North West Thames 56 48 33 15 21 19 North East Thames 48 28 35 14 39 35