§ Dr. MarekTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed in NHS hospitals by region in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what are the corresponding figures for nurses employed in the community alongside family doctors.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe number of nurses and midwives employed within NHS hospitals are shown in the table:
The number of community nurses, from within the hospital and community health service, and practice nurses, who are employed by general practitioners are shown in the following tables.
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1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 North West Thames 3,320 3,230 3,200 3,140 2,990 North East Thames 3,400 3,450 3,450 3,320 3,320 South East Thames 2,340 2,090 3,360 3,020 3,130 South West Thames 2,610 2,610 2,580 2,270 2,300 Wessex 2,450 2,390 2,410 2,430 2,490 Oxford 2,120 2,130 2,120 2,190 2,110 South Western 2,820 2,870 2,880 2,900 2,920 West Midlands 4,660 4,680 4,600 4,610 4,660 Mersey 2,310 2,330 2,270 2,220 2,160 North Western 4,530 4,480 4,450 4,420 4,370 SHAs 20 20 20 20 20
Practice Nurses by Regional Health Authority at 30 September Whole-time Equivalents 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 England 3,480 4,630 7,740 8,780 9,120 Northern 220 280 430 500 550 Yorkshire 210 280 570 610 650 Trent 320 460 770 850 930 East Anglia 240 270 440 550 510 North West Thames 320 390 610 680 700 North East Thames 210 280 540 730 700 South East Thames 230 360 660 630 650 South West Thames 200 280 490 550 560 Wessex 210 330 530 680 590 Oxford 230 340 450 490 540 South Western 330 460 680 710 760 West Midlands 410 490 750 830 910 Mersey 100 170 330 340 440 North Western 170 250 490 640 640 Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to nearest 10 whole-time equivalents.
2. The tables show that, in England, during the period 1988 to 1992 there was a 5.3 per cent. decrease in the numbers of nurses and midwives employed within NHS hospitals; this decrease was mainly a result of the exclusion of Project 2000 student nurses from workforce statistics. Project 2000 learners are regarded as supernumerary and are not included in workforce numbers. In 1992 there were 18,300 Project 2000 students. In addition a number of senior nurses have transferred to senior management grades. During the same period there was an insignificant decrease of 1.4 per cent. in nursing and midwifery staff in the community and a 162 per cent. rise in the number of practice nurses.