§ 26. Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of staff providing direct patient care in the National Health Service in 1979 and in the latest available year.
§ Mr. FreemanThe number of whole-time equivalent staff in post in England, providing direct (patient) care at 30 September 1979 was 457,600 and at 30 September 1987, 526,000.
The 1979 figure has not been adjusted to take account of the transfer of operating department assistants (ODAs) (some 2,600 at 31 March 1984) from ancillary to professional and technical staff group on 1 April 1984 and reduction in nurse working hours (from 40 to 37+ per week) during 1980–81.