Nurses (Pregnancies)

HC Deb 06 July 1993 vol 228 cc121-2W

Mr. Heppell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses who have left NHS employment as a result of pregnancy since 1987 have subsequently returned to NHS employment.

Mr. Sackville

This information is not available centrally.

Mr. Heppell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trained nurses have left employment with the NHS in each of the last six years as a result of pregnancy.

Mr. Sackville

The table shows the available information.

Persons leaving the NHS who have departed for reasons of maternity
	Year ending 31 March
	19881	19891
Management and Tutorial Grades	30	20
Registered Nurses and Health Visitors	1,110	1,150
Enrolled Nurses	780	600
Midwives	220	190
Student Nurses	150	110
Student Midwives	20	30
Other Nursing Staff	670	680
Total Nursing and Midwifery	3,010	2,800

	Year ending 31 March
	19901	19911
Senior Nursing Grades	10	20
Health Visitors (to G)	40	40
Midwives	160	110
Scales C to G (excluding Midwives and Health Visitors)	1,300	810

	Year ending 31 March
	19901	19911
Scales A and B	410	300
Student Midwives	20	10
Other Nursing Staff	80	60
Total Nursing and Midwifery	2,030	1,350
1 All figures have been rounded to the nearest ten.

Notes:

1. The data necessary to identify leavers due to pregnancy were not collected centrally after 1991.

2. The format of the data collection was changed between 1989 and 1990, consequently the listing of staff groups for 1990 and 1991 differ from those given for 1988 and 1989.

3. For year ending 31 March 1988 and 1989 information was not available from II data suppliers (regional health authority headquarters (RHA HQ), district health authorities (DHAs) and the London ambulance service (LAS)). Information for 1991 excludes 27 data suppliers (RHA HQs, DHAs and LAS) who either did not supply data or data were unusable.

4. Some 60 per cent. (1988), 59 per cent. (1989), 57 per cent. (1990) and 58 per cent. (1991) of all nursing and midwifery leavers to the national health service were recorded as "Voluntary Resignation". Source of data: KM46 return 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.