§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to change the number of whole-time equivalent nurses performing non-clinical duties with(a) NICE, (b) CHI and (c) the NHS Modernisation Agency. [37372]
§ Mr. HuttonThe number of nurses performing non-clinical duties with the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, the Commission for Health Improvement and the Modernisation Agency is a matter for each of the organisations to determine and will be kept under review.
There are currently two nurses working in NICE, 26 in CHI and 52 in the Modernisation Agency. Nurses are also employed on short term contracts and are represented on internal committees established by the organisations. There are 350,400 qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff employed in the national health service.
Nurses working in these organisations are using their clinical, leadership and management skills as nurses to improve the quality of care delivered in the NHS.