HC Deb 11 March 1988 vol 129 cc394-5W
Mr. Kirkwood

To 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. Newton

I 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.

National Health Service school nursing staff1 3 in post at 30 September each year by Regional Health Authority in Englandnumber 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.