§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 5 February,Official Report, column 381, how many (a) beds and (b) nurses were available in each year since 1979.
§ 3. Mr. SackvilleThe information is shown in the table.
Total numbers of average available beds and nursing and midwifery staff in the NHS—England 1979–1990–91 Years Average available beds Nurses and midwives (excl agency) (whole-time equivalent) 1979 361,670 354,420 1980 355,980 365,900 1981 351,500 388,010 1982 348,100 394,040 1983 343,090 394,690 1984 334,510 393,740 1985 325,490 397,030 1986 315,710 397,240 1987–88 297,340 397,910 1988–89 282,900 397,840 1989–90 270,310 398,050 1990–91 255,440 395,360 1991–92 242,360 392,200 1. All figures are rounded to the nearest ten except for the 1980 nurses and midwives figure which is rounded to the nearest hundred.
2. From 1987 onwards, the daily available beds figure is averaged over the year whereas the nurses and midwives figures are as at September of each year.
Source: Department of Health 1979–1986 return; 1987–88 —1990–91 KH03 return and Department of HealthNon-Medical Manpower Census.