§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many agencies were used by NHS trusts to recruit nurses in each year since 1997; and if he will list the agencies used by NHS trusts to recruit nurses in 2002–03. [107730]
§ Mr. HuttonPrior to the commencement of the regional nursing agency project plan to provide regional framework agreements for use by National Health Service trusts, information available on which nursing agencies were being used by trusts was not collected centrally.
Under the regional framework agreements, the NHS is using the following numbers of agencies:
Agencies Number London (specialist nurses) 29 London (general nurses) 72 North West (all types) 40 South West (all types) 45 Eastern (all types) 45 West Midlands (all types) 59
§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many registered nurses actively recruited to the NHS from abroad are employed within the NHS in England; [106211]
(2) how many registered nurses were actively recruited to the NHS from abroad in (a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01, (c) 2001–02 and (d) since April 2002 in (i) England, (ii) each NHS region and (iii) each strategic health authority. [106210]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Nursing and Midwifery Council registers all nurses who work in the United Kingdom and hold statistics for the number of overseas nurses who are accepted onto their register.
Through government to government agreements (Philippines, India and Spain), 1,092 nurses have been recruited.
§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of registered nurses working in the NHS at the beginning of the year remained working in the NHS at the end of the year in(a) 1999–2000, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [106212]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information requested is not collected centrally.
Between September 1999 and March 2002, there has been a net increase of 28,740 qualified nurses employed in the national health service.
Information on the number of nurses leaving the Nursing and Midwifery Council register is available From their website at www.nmc-uk.org.uk.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the number of nurses leaving the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [107683]
617W
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 April 2003]: The Government are committed to retaining more staff in the national health service. As a result of the action we have taken to improve pay, child care, working conditions, and access to training and development. vacancy rates for nurses are falling.
§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average age of retirement of registered nurses working in the NHS in England was at the last date for which figures are available. [106213]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation in the form requested is not readily available. The indicative average retirement age, based on past experience, of the group of national health service pension scheme members in England and Wales, which includes qualified and unqualified nursing staff, in normal health, is shown in the table.
As at 31 March 1999 Average age Men 60.1 Women 60.4
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses leaving the NHS have been subsequently re-employed by the NHS through agencies, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [107684]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 Apri1 2003]: Information on the number of nurses who leave the national health service is not collected centrally.
Since 1997, there has been a net increase of 39,500 in the NHS nursing workforce (this figure excludes agency staff and takes account of leavers and joiners). We aim to raise standards and achieve value for money by increasing the number of permanent staff working in the NHS, so reducing reliance on the employment of temporary staff.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses have been employed by the NHS in each of the last 25 years for which figures are available. [108028]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 8 April 2003]: The information requested is shown in the table.
618W
NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS) qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff and general medical services practice nurses employed by unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs)1, in England: 1976 to 2001 Headcount Whole-time equivalent 19762 174,086 147,320 19772 179,138 152,447 19782 185,873 157,757 19792 190,243 160,367 19793 6192,052 161,359 19804 6198,316 167,097 19814 6208,296 179,144 19824 6215,155 185,913 19825 6253,881 220,492 1983 6259,363 224,971 1984 6266,417 229,646 1985 6275,415 236,340 1986 6279,231 239,271 1987 6284,600 241,981
NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS) qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff and general medical services practice nurses employed by unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs)1, in England: 1976 to 2001 Headcount Whole-time equivalent 1988 6290,589 245,404 1989 296,937 249,240 1990 298,966 250,080 19917 6309,781 252,030 19927 6313,986 255,691 19937 6310,896 241,456 19947 305,784 247,883 19958 316,893 256,567 19968 319,151 257,891 1997 318,856 256,093 1998 6323,457 257,596 1999 6329,637 261,340 2000 335,952 266,987 2001 350,381 277,334 20029 (March) 358,381 282,334 1UPEs includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.
2Non-Medial figures only. 1976–79 figures taken from 1982 Health and Personal Social Service Statistics for England.
31979 onwards Non-Medical Qualified Nurses and Practice Nurses.
4Non-medical figures taken from 1985 HPSSS.
5Version of 1982 non-medical figures from HPSSS as a comparison with the earlier years.
6Headcount Practice Nurse figures are estimated for these years based on the 1997 wte to headcount ratio.
7Figures for 1991 to 1994 may not be fully comparable with other data due to under-reporting of fundholding practice staff.
8Includes estimated data for Buckinghamshire.
9This figure is estimated and from the March 2002 vacancy survey.
Notes:
Figures exclude learners and agency staff.
A new classification of the non-medial workforce was introduced in 1995. Information based on this classification is not directly comparable with earlier years.
Practice Nurses data as at 1 October each year 1979 to 1999, and 30 September 2000 to 2001.
Non-medical data as at 30 September each year.
Sources:
Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census