HC Deb 04 March 2003 vol 400 c930W
Rev. Martin Smyth

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new nurses have taken up their post in each board area in Northern Ireland over the last two years. [98260]

Mr. Browne

The information requested is detailed in the following tables.

Figures in the following tables relate to nursing staff (including midwives) in each Health and Social Services Board that have taken up their post in the last two years—joiners are defined as those who were not in employment at the start of the year but who were in employment in the NI Health and Personal Social Services at the end of the year.

Nursing joiners between September 2000 and September 2001
Board Headcount WTE1
Eastern Board 799 708.51
Northern Board 213 177.29
Southern Board 157 136.83
Western Board 177 154.98
Total 1,346 1,177.61

Nursing joiners between September 2001 and September 2002
Board Headcount WTE1
Eastern Board 1,361 1,218.40
Northern Board 201 168.05
Sourthern Board 214 181.67
Western Board 377 340.70
Total 2,153 1,908.82
1Whole-time equivalent