§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing vacancies there were in each Somerset NHS trust in(a) March 1997 and (b) December 2002; and if he will make a statement. [92561]
§ Ms BlearsThe Department's three-month vacancy survey has been collected yearly since March 1999 and is therefore not available for 1997.
However, the numbers of nursing vacancies in each Somerset national health service trust for the two nearest dates (March 1999 and March 2002) are shown in the tables.
681W
Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 1999—vacancies in NHS trusts in England and Somerset Health Authority area by trust, 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) Three month vacancy rate (percentage) Three month vacancy (number) Staff in post (whole-time equivalent) Staff in post (headcount) England (excluding HA staff) 2.8 7,147 246,965 304,230 Somerset HA trusts total 1.6 31 1,857 2,333 Avalon Somerset NHS Trust 0.3 1 304 331 East Somerset NHS Trust 0.7 4 519 704 Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust 2.4 26 1,034 1,298 Notes
1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 1999.
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. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
4. Three month vacancy rates are calculated using staff in post from the Non-Medical Census, September 1998.
5. Staff in post data are from the Non-Medical Census, September 1998.
6. Staff in post data exclude staff employed by health authorities, as vacancy information was only collected from trusts.
7. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.
8. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
9. Due to rounding, totals may not equal the sum of component parts.
10. Calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates.
11. HA figures are based on trusts, and do not necessarily reflect the geographical provision of healthcare.
Sources:
Vacancy numbers and rates: Department of Health Vacancies Survey March 1999
Non medical staff in post: Department of Health Non-Medical workforce census September 1998
Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2002—vacancies in NHS trusts in England and Somerset Health 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) Three month vacancy rate (percentage) Three month vacancy (number) Staff in post (whole-time equivalent) Staff in post (headcount) England (excluding HA staff) 3.1 8,394 265,717 329,981 Somerset HA trusts total 0.4 8 2,187 2,826 Somerset Coast PCT 3.3 6 181 269 Mendip PCT 0.0 0 132 175 East Somerset Hospital NHS Trust 0.0 0 570 756 Taunton and Somerset Hospital NHS Trust 0.3 3 975 1,263 Somerset Partnership NHS and Social Care Trust 0.0 0 329 363 Key notes:
1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 2002.
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. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
4. Three month vacancy rates are calculated using staff in post from the Vacancy Survey, March 2002.
5. Staff in post data are from the Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2001
6. Staff in post data exclude staff employed by health authorities, as vacancy information was only collected from trusts, PCTs and Special HAs.
7. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number.
8. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
9. Due to rounding, totals may not equal the sum of component parts
10. Calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates.
11. HA figures are based on trusts, and do not necessarily reflect the geographical provision of healthcare.
12. Avalon Somerset NHS Trust changed name to Somerset Partnership NHS and Social Care Trust on 1 April 1999.
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.