HC Deb 28 November 1996 vol 286 cc368-9W
Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total number of health visitors in England in each of the last 10 years; and what has been the average case load carried in each of those years. [5288]

Mr. Horam

Information on health visitors' case load is not available centrally. The number of health visitors employed by the hospital and community health services each year up to and including 1994–95 is available from the Department of Health's annual publication, "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England", copies of which are available in the Library.

Information on the number of health visitors at September 1995—the latest available— which are not directly comparable with the information for earlier years, are available in the Department of Health's Statistical Bulletin, "NHS hospital and community health services non-medical staff in England: 1985–1995", copies of which are in the Library. Information on the total number of face-to-face contacts made by health visiting staff during the financial year 1995–96 will be available shortly; copies will be placed in the Library.