HC Deb 11 March 2002 vol 381 c837W
Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses holding substantive positions within the NHS are now registered with NHS Professionals. [30767]

Mr. Hutton

I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.

The information requested is not collected centrally. The Audit Commission report "Brief Encounters: Getting the Best from Temporary Nursing Staff' published in September 2001 finds that:

Typically, over half (about 58 per cent.) of bank staff are substantive post holders".
Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he has put in place to record complaints about NHS Professionals. [30765]

Mr. Hutton

I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.

No central mechanism has been developed to record complaints about national health service professionals. This issue will be addressed as part of the on-going development of the service.

Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of bookings received by NHS Professionals in December 2001 were successfully filled by NHS Professionals using its own nurse database. [30771]

Mr. Hutton

I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.

National health service professionals was launched on 22 November last year. In December, NHS professionals saw an average fill rate of 58 per cent. with more established pilots sites like Burnley and Pinderfields and Pontefract having a 84 per cent. and 89 per cent. fill rate respectively over the same period.