HC Deb 07 October 2003 vol 411 cc68-71W
Dr. Fox:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new (a) units, (b) departments and (c) organisations have been created in the NHS by legislation and regulation since 1997. [131015]

Ms Rosie Winterton:

Since 1997, the Department has established: Two health authorities (HAs) in 1999, four in 2001, and 28 on 1 April 2002. On that date, the 95 HAs then existing, including those set up in 1999 and 2001, were abolished and 28 new HAs were established. These new HAs were renamed strategic health authorities from October 2002. 11 special health authorities. 481 primary care groups (PCGs) on 1 April 1999 as sub-committees of existing HAs. All PCGs have now moved to primary care trust (PCT) status, either individually or by the merger of one or more PCGs and previously existing national health service community health care trusts. There are now 303 PCTs, two of which are designated as care trusts (CTs). There are a further five NHS trusts designated as CTs. 129 NHS trusts.

No units or departments have been created by NHS legislation since 1997.

Mr. Steen:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many administrative staff were employed by the NHS, broken down by (a) category and (b) salary scale, in each of the last five years. [128705]

Mr. Hutton

[holding answer 15 September 2003]: Information on the number of administrative staff employed in the national health service by salary scale

NHS administrative staff in England by area of work as at 30 September each specified year
Headcount
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Total clerical and administrative staff1 185,214 191,738 199,603 211,653 227,303
All clerical and administrative staff 162,521 167,451 174,347 184,229 195,009
Central functions1 71,079 73,996 77,628 81,439 85,706
Hotel, property and estates2 10,025 9,630 8,341 8,516 8,392
St&t support3 12,703 12,726 12,986 13,374 14,666
Clinical support3 66,145 68,425 72,406 77,861 83,312
Ambulance support3 2,569 2,674 2,986 3,039 2,933
All administrative managers4 22,693 24,287 25,256 27,424 32,294
Central functions 16,981 18,265 19,244 20,909 24,775
Hotel, property and estates 2,305 2,287 1,960 1,978 2,032
St&t support 420 437 486 506 666
Clinical support 2,672 2,980 3,271 3,635 4,426
Ambulance support 315 318 295 396 395
GP Practice Administrative staff
1 Includes staff working in such areas as personnel, finance, IT, legal services, library services and general management support services.
2Staff working in clerical and administrative support of areas such as laundry, catering, domestic services and gardens.
3 Clerical and administrative staff in support of clinical areas such as medical secretaries and medical records officers.
4 Staff with overall responsibility for budgets, manpower or assets, or accountable for a significant area of work. This excludes nursing, ST&T and ambulance managers in posts requiring specific clinical qualifications.

Dr. Fox:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the administrative cost of the NHS was as a percentage of its total budget in each year since 1997. [127337]

Mr. Hutton:

The administrative cost of the national health service as a percentage of its budget in each year since 1997 is shown in the table.

Total health

authority and

primary care trust

administration and

NHS trust

management costs

(£million)

NHS total

expenditure

England

(£million)

Administration

costs as

percentage of

NHS budget

1997–98 1.962,983 34,664 5.7
1998–99 1.935.116 36,608 5.3
1999–2000 2.095,224 40,215 5.2
2000–01 2.166,011 43,951 4.9
2001–02 2.565,092 49,279 5.2
Note:Administration expenditure includes the cost of the board. Commissioning administration, community health council expenditure, primary care trust preparation costs, some public health staff costs, capital charges, etc.—ie all expenditure which is not related to the provision of patient and social care and staff training.
Dr. Fox:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of (a) medical and dental staff and (b) administration and estates staff was in each year since 1997 (i) in cash terms and (ii) as a proportion of total NHS expenditure. [131037]

Mr. Hutton:

Expenditure on medical and dental staff and administration and estates staff, in the Hospital and Community Health Services in England, between 1997–98 and 2001–02, is shown in table 1.

is not collected centrally. Information on the number of administrative staff by area of work is shown in the table.

Table 1
£
Medical and

dental staff

Administrative and

clerical staff and

maintenance and

works staff

1997–98 3,021,917,492 2,057,163,826
1998–99 3,300,976,457 2,169,826,239
1999–2000 3,664,710,847 2,313,931,257
2000–01 4,138,320,465 2,519,278,346
2001–02 4,790,866,706 2,843,734,268
Source:Annual Financial returns of Health Authorities, NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts.

Expenditure on these staff, expressed as a proportion of total net national health service expenditure in England during the same period, is shown in table 2.

Table 2
Percentage
Medical and

dental staff

Administrative and

clerical staff and

maintenance and

works staff

1997–98 0.087 0.059
1998–99 0.090 0.059
1999–2000 0.092 0.058
2000–01 0.094 0.057
2001–02 0.097 0.058
Source:Annual Financial returns of Health Authorities, NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts and the Departmental Reports 2001CM5103 and 2003 CM5904.

In April 2001, NHS accounting and budgeting changed to a resource based system. Figures for 2001–02 are not comparable with previous years.

Expenditure on NHS staff in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the devolved administrations. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved, responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office.