§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people are employed in information technology within the NHS, broken down by trust; [127649]
(2) how many people are employed in risk management within the NHS; [127651]
(3) how many people are employed within equipment purchasing within the NHS; [127652]
(4) how many people are employed in patient complaints within the NHS. [127654]
NHS Hospital and community health service (HCHS): Administrative and managerial staff by grade as at 30 September each specified year (headcount) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Total 182,652 185,214 191,738 199,603 211,653 227,303 Clerical and administrative1 160,479 162,521 167,451 174,347 184,229 195,009 Manager2 14,645 14,706 15,408 16,369 17,684 20,435 Senior manager2 7,528 7,987 8,879 8,887 9,740 11,859 1 Clerical and administrative staff working in central functions. The group includes areas such as personnel, finance, IT, legal services, library services, health eduction and general management support services. 2 Managers have overall responsibility for budgets, manpower or assets, or are accountable for a significant area of work. Senior managers include staff at executive level and those who report directly to the board. These staff are essential to the smooth running of hospitals, trusts and Strategic Health Authorities. This excludes nursing, ST and T and ambulance managers in post requiring specific clinical qualifications. Source:
Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) electricians, (b) gardeners, (c) maintenance engineers and assistants, (d) kitchen staff and (e) cleaners were employed by the NHS in each year since 1997. [127505]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information requested is shown in the table.
Whole-time equivalent 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Estates (maintenance and works)1 13,295 12,715 12,333 12,016 11,758 11,831 Support workers2 66,706 65,301 64,140 62,858 63,568 64,018
Headcount 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Estates (maintenance and works)1 13,614 13,096 12,712 12,413 12,109 12,206 Support workers2 93,323 91,157 89,483 87,340 87,843 88,285 1 Estates staff includes electricians, gardeners and engineers. These are unable to be separately identified. 2 Support workers includes kitchen staff and cleaners. These are unable to be separately identified. Notes:
Figures are rounded to the nearest whole Number
Source:
Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census
228W
§ Mr.HuttonThe information requested is not separately available, staff employed in information technology, risk management, and equipment purchasing are included in the broader category of "administrative staff employed in central functions" and patient complaints staff are included in "support to doctors and nurses".
As at September 2002, there were 85,706 administrative staff employed in central functions and 26,302 support workers to doctors and nurses.
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many administrators were employed in the NHS in each of the last six years; [127317]
(2) how many managerial and administrative jobs were created in the National Health Service in the last 12 months. [127371]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation on the number of managers and administrators employed in the national health service in each of the last six years is shown in the following table.
Within the non-medical work force census, electricians, gardeners and maintenance engineers and assistants are included in "estates staff- in "hotel, property and estates". Kitchen staff and cleaners are included with "support workers supporting doctors and nurses."
As at 30 September 2002, there were 12,206 estates staff and 88,285 support workers employed in the National Health Service.
229W
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many days off work have been taken by NHS employees each year since 1997 owing to stress; and how much this time off has cost the NHS. [127330]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department of Health does not collect data centrally on how many days off work have been taken by National Health Service staff owing to work-related stress, or the associated costs.
The National Office Audit report "A Safer Place to Work—Improving the Management of Health and Safety Risks to Staff in NHS Trusts" reported that stress accounts for 30 per cent. of sickness absence in the NHS.
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of stress levels among staff in the NHS; and what proposals he has to reduce this level. [127331]
§ Mr. HuttonThe National Audit Office report "A Safer Place to Work—Improving the Management of Health and Safety Risks to Staff in NHS Trusts" reported that stress accounts for 30 per cent. of sickness absence in the National Health Service.
Integral to the Department's plans for reducing levels of work-related stress in the NHS is the Improving Working Lives (IWL) initiative. IWL sets NHS-wide standards to cover a range of workforce issues, including the provision of childcare, flexible working, improvements to work/life balance, as well as ensuring the provision of counselling services for all staff.