§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified midwives were employed in the NHS in each of the last 20 years. [73478]
§ Mr. DenhamThe figures requested are shown in the table.
NHS Hospital and Community Health Services Qualified midwives, by year, from 1977 to 1997, in England Whole time equivalents Year Qualified midwives 1977 15,183 1978 14,774 1979 15,382 1980 15,705 1981 16,272 1982 16,486 1983 17,320 1984 17,830 1985 18,430 1986 18,850 1987 19,320 1988 19,290 1989 19,420 1990 20,170 1991 19,610 1992 20,240 1993 19,510 1994 19,240 1995 18,292 1996 18,548 1997 18,310 Notes:
I. Figures are rounded to nearest ten.
2. Figures exclude learners and agency staff.
3. Data for years prior to 1982 relate to December, while those for subsequent years are staff in post on September 30.
4. The number of full-time hours was reduced from 40 to 37.5 during 1980 and the 37.5 hour week became mandatory on 31 March 1981. This means that figures for whole time equivalents before 1980 are not directly comparable with those for subsequent years.
5. Due to a change in classification in 1995 for collecting data, from pay scale to occupation code, 1995, 1996 and 1997 figures are non-comparable with earlier years.
6.From 1995, figures for qualified midwives include midwives teaching midwifery and managers in the maternity services area of work. Managers may be a nurse, midwife or health visitor who has overall responsibility for budgets, manpower or assets, or who is held accountable for a significant area of work, and who has little or no direct clinical involvement.
Source:
Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census