HC Deb 17 March 1999 vol 327 cc676-7W
Mr. Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former nurses (i) in total and (ii) who had been out of the profession for more than five years have(a) applied and (b) been accepted on back to nursing courses since his January announcement. [76387]

Mr. Denham

[holding answer 12 March 1999]: The information requested is not available centrally.

In the first few weeks of the national nursing publicity campaign, which began on 1 February, over 44,500 people have contacted the response line, of which about 4,400 have expressed an interest in returning to nursing in the National Health Service.

Mr. Andrew George

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many former nurses have (i) applied, (ii) been accepted upon and (iii) completed back to nursing courses in each of the last five years; [76385]

(2) what was the average cost of back to nursing courses for former nurses who have been out of the profession for (a) less than five years and (b) more than five years, for each of the last five years on record; [76388]

(3) how many former nurses have applied for back to nursing courses for each of the last five years; [76384]

(4) how many former nurses who had left nursing at least five years previously have (i) applied to, (ii) been accepted on and (iii) completed back to nursing courses in each of the last five years. [76386]

Mr. Denham

[holding answer 12 March 1999]: The information requested is not available centrally.

It is planned to include information about return to practice courses in the statistical bulletin which is due to be published by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting during week commencing 19 April 1999.