HL Deb 22 March 1989 vol 505 cc811-2WA
Baroness Gardner of Parkes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will set out in four separate categories the number, in whole-time equivalents, of nurses, midwives, general practitioners and hospital doctors in Britain in 1978 and in the latest year in which figures are available.

Lord Henley

Such information as is available is shown in the table.

NHS Staff in Post in Great Britain at 30th September
Whole-time equivalent(1)
1978 1987
Nursing Staff (2) 403,100 467,200
Midwifery Staff (2) 24,800 28,200
Hospital Doctors and Dentists (3) 40,800 47,400(4)

Source: Department of Health (SR7 & SR1) Annual censuses of NHS Medical and Non-Medical manpower; Welsh Office; Scottish Common Services Agency.

Notes:

(1) All figures are independently rounded to the nearest hundred (100) whole-time equivalents.

(2) Includes agency staff.

(3) Includes permanent paid, honorary and locum staff.

(4) Includes agency locums; prior to 1987 these locums could not be identified separately from other locum staff.

1978 1987
General Practitioners
Unrestricted Principals 25,245 29,808

Source: Department of Health (SR1A) GMP Census.

Note: Figures are numbers not whole-time equivalents.