§ Audrey WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on(a) regional and (b) locality variations in school nurse numbers. [25016]
§ Mr. MilburnThe number of school nurses is for employers to determine in the light of local needs and clinical priorities. Any future proposals authorities wish to make should be made in the light of the Green Paper on Public Health which will shortly be published.
§ Audrey WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the ratio of(a) school nurses to schools and (b) schools nurses to numbers of children; [25015]
(2) how many school nurses, expressed as whole-time equivalents, were employed by the NHS in England in (a) 1990, (b) 1995, (c) 1996, and (d) 1997. [25012]
§ Mr. MilburnSchool nurses employed by the National Health Service hospital and community health services are not separately identifiable from other community nursing staff within the non-medical workforce censuses conducted by the Department of Health after 1994. Consequently, figures for 1995 and 1996 are not available centrally. In addition to the number of school nurses, the table gives the numbers of schools and school children, as changes to the ratios can be the result of changes to these components as well as changes to the numbers of nurses. 243W
NHS hospital and community health services nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency and learners) working in the school nurse area of work, numbers of schools and numbers of pupils in England for 1990 to 1994 Year Number of school nurses1 Number of schools Number of schools per school nurse2 Number of pupils (thousands) Number of pupils per school nurse1 1990 2,540 27,385 11 7,401 2,910 1991 2,460 27,179 11 7,452 3,020 1992 2,440 26,956 11 7,541 3,090 1993 2,470 26,752 11 7,665 3,100 1994 2,350 26,442 11 7,700 3,280 Notes:
1 Rounded to the nearest ten whole-time equivalents.
2 Rounded to the nearest whole number.
Figures for school nurses relate to the position at September each year, the figures for schools and pupils relate to the position at January each year.
Ratios are calculated on unrounded figures.
Sources:
Department of Health's annual non-medical workforce census.
"Statistics of Education: Schools in England" published by the Department for Education and Employment.
§ Audrey WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what national standards he has set for school health services; [25022]
(2) what guidance he has issued to (a) purchasers and (b) commissioners of health provision on the employment of school nurses relating to (i) numbers and (ii) job descriptions. [25014]
§ Mr. BoatengGood practice guidance,"Child Health Services—A Guide to Good Practice", was issued to the National Health Service in 1996. Copies are available in the Library.
The exact job descriptions and numbers of school nurses are for local commissioners and employers to determine in the light of local needs and priorities.
§ Audrey WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the benefits of giving each school pupil access to a named school nurse. [25023]
§ Mr. BoatengWe are considering the terms of a new Patient's Charter to include the health care needs of children. The level of benefit to be gained by their having access to a named school nurse will form part of that consideration.