HC Deb 29 March 1988 vol 130 cc439-40W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the proportion of qualified to unqualified staff in mental hospitals at present and in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Newton

Information about staff employed in mental hospitals, other than nursing staff, is not collected centrally. The information requested for nursing staff employed at September 1981 to September 1986 is shown in the table. Comparable information is not available prior to 1981.

Nursing and midwifery staff in mentall illness area1 of work England at 30 September
Whole-time equivalents2
Year Total Qualified staff Unqualified staff3 Ratio of qualified to unqualified staff4
1981 54,480 29,200 25,270 1.16:1
1982 56,560 30,500 26,060 1.17:1
1983 57,160 31,230 25,940 1.20:1
1984 57,690 32,190 25,500 1.26:1
1985 58,470 33,140 25,330 1.31:1
1986 59,480 33,760 25,720 1.31:1
Source: DHSS annual census of NHS non-medical manpower.
1 Includes staff who work in psychiatric wards of non-psychiatric hospitals.
2 Figures have been independently rounded to the nearest ten (10) whole time equivalents.
3 Including learners.
4 Ratios calculated on unrounded figures.