HC Deb 06 March 1997 vol 291 cc734-5W
Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) nurses and (b) doctors there were in the NHS in England (i) at the latest available date and (ii) in 1990. [18457]

Mr. Malone

The information requested is shown in the table.

NHS hospital and community health services medical, nursing and midwifery staff and general medical services general medical practitioners and practice nurses
England 1990 and 1995
1990 1995
HCHS medical staff and GMS general medical practitioners1 (headcount) 73,720 80,820
HCHS nursing and midwifery staff and GMS practice nurses2 (whole-time equivalents) 344,260 346,670
Not included in the above:
HCHS learners3 58,840 6,900
Project 2000 students3 3,000 33,000

Notes:

1Figures exclude hospital practitioners and clinical assistants to avoid double counting.

2 Excluding agency staff.

3 Learners are nurses on traditional nurse training courses, and are directly employed by the NHS HCHS. Project 2000 training was introduced in 1989 and has gradually replaced traditional pre-registration nurse training. Project 2000 students are funded by bursaries, they are supernumerary not employees, and are thus excluded from the count of NHS HCHS nursing staff. Figures for Project 2000 students are headcounts and should not be added to other nursing figures in the table which are whole-time equivalents.

HCHS figures are as at 30 September each year.

GMS figures are as at 1 October each year.

Source:

Department of Health's annual medical and dental and non-medical work force censuses and bi-annual general medical services census.

Sir John Stanley

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS(a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in 1979; and how many there are at the present time. [18939]

Mr. Malone

The information requested is given in the tables.

(a) National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Services doctors and General Medical Services doctors (headcounts), 1979: 61,550 1995: 80,820 All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Table B: NHS Hospital and Community Health Services nursing and midwifery staff and General Medical Services practice nurses England 1979 and 1995
Whole-time equivalents
19791 1995
HCHS nursing and midwifery staff and GMS practice nurses2 278,750 346,670
Qualified 192,010 240,160
Unqualified 85,750 92,380
Others 4,390
GMS Practice Nurses 990 9,740
Not included in the above:
HCHS learners3 76,650 6,900
Project 2000 students3 33,000

Notes:

1Figures for 1979 do not take account of the reduction in nurses' standard working hours in 1980–81 from 40 to 37.5 hours per week, and are therefore not directly comparable with figures for later years.

2 Excluding agency staff.

3Learners are nurses on traditional nurse training courses, and are directly employed by the NHS HCHS. Project 2000 training was introduced in 1989 and has gradually replaced traditional pre-registration nurse training. Project 2000 students are funded by bursaries, they are supernumerary not employees, and are thus excluded from the count of NHS HCHS nursing staff. Figures for Project 2000 students are headcounts and should not be added to other nursing figures in the table which are whole-time equivalents. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Source:

Department of Health medical and non-medical work force censuses and bi-annual general medical services census.

HCHS figures are as at 30 September each year.

GMS figures are as at 1 October each year.

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