§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of second level registered nurses; and how many are currently undertaking training to convert to first level registration. [8356]
§ Mr. Richards[holding answer 10 January 1996]: This information is not held centrally.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of nurses working in(a) private nursing homes, (b) private hospitals, (c) local authorities, (d) private residential homes, (e) the armed forces, (f) the prison service, (g) the occupational health service, (h) private industry, (i) self-employment and (j) any other categories; and if he will express the figures in terms of (i) total numbers and (ii) whole time equivalents. [8351]
§ Mr. Richards[holding answer 10 January 1996]: Information is not available centrally for all categories requested. The available information, which relates to staff with a nursing qualification, is given in the following table. In addition, there were 24,728 whole-time equivalent staff in the nursing and midwifery group in the NHS at 30 September 1995. This figure excludes pre-registration learner nurses and any staff with a nursing qualification not working in the nursing and midwifery
310W
§ Mr. Richards[holding answer 10 January 1996]: Information in the form requested relating to salaried students and undergraduate students is not available centrally. The available information is given in the following table.
group but includes auxiliary staff within the group who do not have a nursing qualification.
Category Number Whole-time equivalent Private nursing homes (at 31 March 1995) 3,833 2,687 Private hospitals and clinics (at 31 March 1995) 280 253 Armed forces (at 1 December 1995)1 9 n/a Prison service (at 31 December 1995)2 14 n/a General Practitioner support staff (at 1 October 1994) n/a 611 1 Data obtained from the Ministry of Defence.2 Data obtained from the Home Office. n/a-not available.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he intends to estimate demand for nurses from the non-NHS sector; and how this information will be used to regulate the supply of nursing students. [8353]
§ Mr. Richards[holding answer 10 January 1996]: Nurse training numbers are based on the requirement for newly qualified nurses identified in trusts' annual workforce plans. Allowance is also made for additional nurses working in the independent sector and with general practitioners.
To estimate demand outside the NHS, private hospitals, nursing homes and HM prisons are invited to provide information on their novice recruit requirements as part of the NHS Wales work force planning cycle.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what means he assesses the demand for conversion courses for second level registered nurses. [8355]
§ Mr. Richards[holding answer 10 January 1996]: The demand for conversion courses for second level registered nurses is assessed by the trust which employs the nurses.