Health Care Assistants (Hansard, 24 January 2002)

§ Mr. Hutton

The information requested for the number of health care assistants is in the table.

We aim to increase recruitment of health care assistants by developing career paths to encourage unqualified staff to work in the national health service across general practice and acute care. Dedicated investment in NVQ training will allow NHS staff to gain transferable skills to recognised national standards and enable more staff to gain qualifications to enter professional training and progress their careers further. In 2001–02 we expect over 2,000 health care assistants to start nurse training courses.

Investing in staff who do not have a professional qualification supports the goal of increasing career opportunities and qualifications for the support work force, while improving the quality of direct care for patients and freeing up professionals to make better use of their skills.

1087W

NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS)—health care assistants and unqualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff¹employed by acute hospital trusts and PCTs in England as at 30 September each year
Headcount
	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
PCTs
Health care assistants and unqualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff	²—	²—	²—	²—	500
of which:
Health care assistants	²—	²—	²—	²—	40
Unqualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff	²—	²—	²—	²—	460
¹ Unqualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff includes unclassifiable staff
² Not applicable

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts.

Source:

Department of Health Non Medical Workforce Census