HC Deb 08 May 1990 vol 172 cc81-2W
Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives have been employed by the National Health Service; how many births there have been; and what has been the ratio of births to midwives in the last five years.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The requested information is shown in the table.

NHS midwives in post,1 total births1 and ratio of births to midwives —England
Year Midwives at 30 September2 wholetime equivalent Total births Number of births per midwife
1984 22,790 604,000 26.5
1985 23,070 622,730 27.0
1986 23,330 626,950 26.9
1987 23,550 646,550 27.5
1988 23,620 657,550 27.8

Source: Department of Health (SM13) annual census of NHS non-medical manpower and office of population censuses and surveys.

1 All figures are independently rounded to the nearest ten (10). Unrounded figures are used to calculate ratios.

2 Includes agency staff and students.

Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwife posts are currently vacant in the United Kingdom.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

This information is not collected centrally.

Mr. Ashley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if any action is planned to increase the number of midwives in the National Health Service.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

It is the responsibility of individual health authorities to determine the level of midwives required to run local maternity services, both in hospitals and the community. At 30 September 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of midwives (whole time equivalent) employed in the National Health Service was 19,090, an increase of 3,060 (19.1 per cent.) since 1981.

We are continuing to take steps to improve staffing in this vital area. Rates of pay have increased; in 1988, 9 out of 10 staff midwives were graded E or above under the new clinical grading structure and receive average pay increases on assimilation of 23 per cent. Since 1979 their pay has increased by over 50 per cent. in real terms.

We are proposing an increase in the numbers of those undertaking three-year pre-registration training and in the advance diploma in midwifery by distance learning.

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