§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if, pursuant to his written answer of 10 May to the hon. Member for Newham, South concerning a charge made by the nurse central clearing house (NCCH) for pre-registration application of £6,Official Report, column 454 he will consider re-imbursing that body for the costs incurred, as part of his responsibilities for encouraging recruitment for the nursing profession.
§ Mr. MellorNo. There is no evidence that the charge made by the nurses central clearing house has an adverse effect on recruitment.
720W(3) how much was spent in the last year on the care and treatment of patients suffering from schizophrenia; and what percentage that figure represented of total expenditure on (a) mental and (b) all health services.
§ Mr. FreemanInformation specifically on the total expenditure incurred on and the treatment costs of patients suffering from schizophrenia is not collected centrally. For costing purposes all hospitals are classified into one or other of a series of standard types which reflect the principal use to which their beds are allocated and costing returns in respect of community health services show expenditure relating to the main areas of activity only. Thus, the table shows the available information by region on hospitals categorised as "Mental Illness" for the financial years 1984–85 to 1986–87, but excludes the growing volume of activity in psychiatric units in acute and other hospitals and within community health services which is not identifiable separately.
The average cost in England of maintaining an in-patient in hospitals categorised as "Mental Illness" was £44.05 per day in 1986–87—equivalent to some £16,000 per annum.
We intend to publish a volume in the series "Health Services Costing Returns" covering the financial year 1987–88 this summer.
§ Mr. WolfsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what number of regrading appeals for nurses are still under consideration; and how long on average cases are taking to settle.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not hold this information centrally.
§ Mr. WolfsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage of labour turnover nationally per annum in the nursing profession within the National Health Service; and whether he will provide figures for the best, worst and average regions.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not have information of this nature centrally at present. Information on the number of nurses 721W joining and leaving National Health Service employment is however now being collected, and should be available later this year.