§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions have been taken by the Weston Area NHS trust to recruit nursing staff from the Philippines; what the total cost of such recruitment has been; and whether additional resources have been made available to meet these costs. [40494]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 7 March 2002]: Weston Area national health service trust has not actively recruited nursing staff from overseas.
§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) nursing staff are employed and (b) nursing vacancies there are for (i) the Avon health authority and (ii) the Weston area NHS trust. [40493]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 7 March 2002]: The information requested is shown in the table.
Nursing staff in post (September 2000) and three month vacancy rate (March 2001)—Avon health authority and Weston area health trust Avon health authority Weston area health NHS trust Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff Three month vacancy rate per cent. 4.0 0.0 Three month vacancies (wte) 250 0 Staff in post (wte) 5,900 340 Notes:
1. Three month vacancies are vacancies as at 31 March 2001 which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents).
2. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post from the September 2000 medical and dental and non-medical work force census (whole time equivalent).
3. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.
4. Percentages rounded to one decimal place.
Source:
NHS Vacancy Survey, March 2001 and NHS Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2000.