HC Deb 14 January 2003 vol 397 cc531-2W
Mr. Lyons

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing vacancies exist in trusts in England and Wales. [90225]

Mr. Hutton

Information on vacancies lasting three months or more for nursing staff in England is shown in the table.

The three month vacancy rate was 3.1 per cent. in March 2002, a fall from 3.4 per cent. in March 2001 and the second successive fall in vacancies for qualified nursing staff.

Information for Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2002 Vacancies in NHS Trusts, qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff
Three month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post
Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff (excluding HA staff) England (excluding HA staff)
Three month vacancy rate (percentage) 3.1
Three month vacancy number 8,394
Staff in post (whole-time equivalent) 265,717
Staff in post (headcount) 329,981

Notes:

  1. 1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 2002.
  2. 2. Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole-time equivalents).
  3. 3. Three month Vacancy Rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
  4. 4. Three month Vacancy Rates are calculated using staff in post from the Vacancy Survey, March 2002.
  5. 5. Staff in post data is from the Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2001.
  6. 6. Staff in post data excludes staff employed by Health Authorities, as vacancy information was only collected from Trusts, PCTs and Special Health Authorities.
  7. 7.Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
  8. 8. Calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates.

Sources:

Vacancy Numbers and Rates: Department of Health Vacancies Survey March 2002

Non Medical Staff in Post: Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce census September 2001