§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many qualified nurses are employed in(a) trusts and (b) private health establishments. [27271]
§ Mr. Win GriffithsAt 30 June 1997, there were approximately 16,900 whole-time equivalent qualified nurses, midwives and health visitors directly employed by NHS Trusts in Wales. The latest detailed information provided by private health establishments indicated that there were about 2,700 whole-time equivalent qualified nurses at 31 March 1995, although it is believed that this may be an under-estimate.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has taken to improve the morale of nurses. [27270]
§ Mr. Win GriffithsI hope that nurses will have been heartened by the steps the Government have taken to cut back on unnecessary bureaucracy, by the ending of divisive local pay for staff on national contracts, by our search for a better, more robust approach to NHS pay in the longer term, and by the publication of our White Paper "Putting Patients First". This sets out plans for replacing the wasteful internal market, and includes commitments to involve community nurses more in organising health services for their patients and to develop a Strategic Framework for Nursing and a new Human Resources Strategy.
I am glad that we have been able to accept the recommendations of the independent Nurses' Pay Review Body for a rise of 3.8 per cent., the highest for six years. Nurses stand to receive 2 per cent. from 1 April, rising to 3.8 per cent. from 1 December.
By staging the increase, we can meet pay costs within the resources available to the NHS without prejudicing the planned level of service delivery.