HC Deb 23 February 1994 vol 238 cc291-2W
24. Mr. Charles Kennedy

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Highland health board over the introduction of NHS trusts in its area; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart

Approval was given on 6 December 1993 to the application for trust status by the Highland communities NHS trust. All provider units in the Highland health board area will be self-governing trusts from 1 April 1994.

Mr. Dunnachie

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many trained nurses employed by agencies were employed within(a) NHS non-trust and (b) NHS trust hospitals in Scotland in the three months ended December 1993; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stewart

Information on the overall number of agency nurses—head count—employed in the NHS in Scotland is not held centrally. The information which is held, however, shows that the average hours worked by agency nursing staff during the six months ending 30 September 1993, the latest period for which data are available, were as follows:

Average hours
NHS non-trust hospitals:1
Total: 204.5
Nurses 157.5
Nursing assistants 47.0
NHS trust hospitals:
Total: 56.2
Nurses2 38.5
Nursing assistants 17.7
1 No separate figures are as yet available for Lothian trust and non-trust hospitals. Both are, therefore, shown under this category.
2 1 whole-time-equivalent nurse contributes 875 hours of work in a six-month period.

26. Mr. Bill Walker

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to meet the chairman of Tayside health council to discuss the Perth and Kinross trust.

Mr. Stewart

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.