§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in theOfficial Report (a) the number of school nurses, given as whole-time, part-time and whole-time equivalent, (b) the establishment figure and (c) the number of vacant posts in each English regional health authority, for each year over the last five years up to the latest for which figures are availble.
§ Mr. NewtonI regret that information on establishments and vacant posts is not collected centrally.
The number of nursing staff employed in the schools health service, including special schools, at September 1983 to September 1986, is given in the table. Similar information for September 1987 is not yet available.
Although the table shows a 2.7 per cent. reduction in nursing staff, a decline of approximately 5 per cent. in the school population has also occurred over the same period.
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National Health Service school nursing staff1 3 in post at 30 September each year by Regional Health Authority in England—number and whole-time equivalent2 Regional Health Authority Whole-time number Part-time number Total whole-time equivalent 1983 Northern 116 187 251 Yorkshire 106 218 245 Trent 104 374 369 East Anglia 76 96 142 North West Thames 102 122 178 North East Thames 126 67 166 South East Thames 122 144 223 South West Thames 58 150 154 Wessex 66 86 119 Oxford 35 140 122 South Western 20 252 162 West Midlands 215 196 340 Mersey 163 140 247 North Western 169 303 347 London Special Health Authorities 9 — 9 England 1,487 2,475 3,074 1984 Northern 113 185 248 Yorkshire 107 211 243 Trent 102 397 382 East Anglia 69 102 138 North West Thames 115 143 205 North East Thames 128 83 177 South East Thames 113 159 226 South West Thames 52 177 164 Wessex 70 91 128 Oxford 26 146 118 South Western 21 246 158 West Midlands 215 196 342 Mersey 147 143 232 North Western 156 299 335
Regional Health Authority Whole-time number Part-time number Total whole-time equivalent London Special Health Authorities — — — England 1,434 2,578 3,095 1985 Northern 107 188 244 Yorkshire 95 197 224 Trent 89 380 361 East Anglia 67 94 131 North West Thames 111 159 208 North East Thames 136 97 197 South East Thames 112 162 225 South West Thames 52 186 171 Wessex 63 106 131 Oxford 24 156 121 South Western 28 258 172 West Midlands 204 209 342 Mersey 139 152 232 North Western 154 313 347 London Special Health Authorities — — — England 1,381 2,657 3,106 1986 Northern 102 187 241 Yorkshire 105 196 232 Trent 79 383 350 East Anglia 12 86 72 North West Thames 116 159 217 North East Thames 120 83 175 South East Thames 105 165 220 South West Thames 41 189 162 Wessex 60 113 134 Oxford 18 160 118 South Western 27 267 174 West Midlands 168 247 336 Mersey 132 179 242 North Western 139 287 318 London Special Health Authorities — — — England 1,224 2,701 2,990 Source: DHSS annual census of NHS non-medical manpower. 1 Includes School Health Visitors and nursing staff of special schools. 2 Figures are independently rounded to nearest whole time equivalent. 3 Includes qualified and unqualified nursing staff.