HC Deb 09 May 2001 vol 368 cc209-10W
Mr. Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS vacancies there were for(a) doctors, (b) nurses, (c) midwives, (d) health visitors, (e) professions allied to medicine and (f) management and administration staff for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; how many posts in each category have been vacant for longer than three months; and if he will make a statement. [157323]

Mr. Denham

[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 2001, c. 453–54W]: The Department has collected data on the number of posts that have been vacant for three months or more as at 31 March in 1999 and 2000. The information is in the table.

Department of Health vacancies survey 3 month vacancy figures 1 in England as at 31 March for each year
1999 2000
Consultants 470 590
Qualified nurses 7,150 9,870
Of which:
Midwives 370 490
Health visitors 100 190
Professions allied to Medicine2 860 1,510
Administration and Estates3 640 1,740
1 Posts that had been vacant for 3 months or more at 31 March each year.
2 Professions allied to Medicine staff include the following occupation groups: Chiropody, Dietetics, Occupational therapy, Orthoptics/optics, Physiotherapy, Diagnostic radiography, Therapeutic radiology, Art/ Music/Drama therapy.
3 Management and Administration staff are part of Administration and Estates Staff group, and can not be separately identified.

Note:

Figures are whole-time equivalents rounded to the nearest 10.

Source:

Department of Health Vacancies Survey