§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were in NHS hospitals in April 1992; and how many are currently employed. [492]
§ Mr. HoramThe Department of Health's non-medical work force census collects the number of hospital and community health services nursing and midwifery staff as at 30 September each year. Individual hospital units cannot be separately identified in the census, but up until September 1994 nursing and midwifery staff could be sub-divided between those working in hospitals and those working in the community on the basis of their area of work. Areas of work were determined by a combination of the pay scales nurses and midwives were paid on and their occupation codes. Data for September 1992 are available in the Library from the Department of Health's publications: "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England", 1995 edition. The sub-division of nursing and midwifery staff between hospital and community areas of work is not possible for the 1995 non-medical work force census—the latest available—and future censuses because of the introduction of new occupation codes.