NHS Professionals (Hansard, 19 April 2004)

§ Mr. Baron
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS Professionals is covered by the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [160594]

§ Mr. Hutton
[holding answer 11 March 2004.]: The NHS Professionals Special Health Authority is covered by the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations.
209W

§ Mr. Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received on the(a) training and (b) criminal records checks undergone by nurses used by NHS Professionals; and if he will make a statement; [1635001
(2) what representations he has received on the adequacy of the (a) facilities and (b) IT systems to support NHS Professionals; and if he will make a statement. [163502]

§ Mr. Hutton
No such representations have been received.

§ Mr. Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS acute trusts have signed up to use NHS Professionals; and what proportion of acute trusts this represents. [163501]

§ Mr. Hutton
55 acute trusts art currently signed up with NHS Professionals. This represents 24 per cent. of all acute trusts in England.

NHS hospital and community health services: Support to clinical staff by area and by grade in England as at 30 September each year

Headcount

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Total support to clinical staff 283,871 289,363 296,619 307,225 325,890 344,524 360,666

Support to doctors and nursing staff^1.2 240,040 243,960 249,216 257,136 271,978 287,098 398,752

Unqualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 116.434 116,580 119,678 123,847 128,043 133,876 137,242

Clerical and administrative—clinical support 63,971 66,145 68,425 72,406 77,861 83,312 90,057

Maintenance and works—clinical support 189 151 170 175 154 184 104

Health care assistants—nursing 19,227 21,693 22,429 24.040 29,014 32,657 35,330

Other support staff—nursing 25,197 25,140 24,862 23,422 24,660 24,760 24,253

Health care assistants—central functions 102 156 147 159 172 216 270

Other support staff—central functions 12,579 11,952 11.560 11,046 9,885 9,733 8,909

Nursing, midwifery and health visiting learners 2,341 2,143 1,945 2,041 2,189 2,360 2,587

Support to scientific, therapeutic and technical staff^1.3 38,074 39,162 40,465 41,800 44,602 48,030 52,230

Unqualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff
of which:
23,818 24,180 25,667 26,562 28,806 30,942 33,969

Student/trainee 2,419 2,328 2,658 2,808 3,508 3,923 4,755

Helper/assistant 21,399 21,852 23,009 23,754 25,298 27,019 29,214

Clerical and administrative—STT support 12,584 12,703 12,726 12,986 13,374 14,666 15,891

Maintenance and works—STT support 57 110 78 68 86 68 94

Healthcare assistants—STT support 420 703 677 735 750 783 880

Other support staff—STT support 1,195 1,466 1,317 1,449 1,586 1,571 1,396

Support to ambulance staff^1,4 5,757 6,241 6,938 8,289 9,310 9,396 9,684

Ambulance trainees 816 812 1,127 1,657 2,069 2,103 2,137

Clerical and administrative—ambulance support 2,495 2,569 2,674 2,986 3,039 2,933 3,059

Maintenance and works—ambulance support 137 118 151 120 195 260 274

Health care assistants—ambulance support 1,461 1,769 1,832 2,130 2,599 2,712 2,964

Other support staff—ambulance support 848 973 1,154 1,396 1,408 1,388 1,250

¹ NHS staff by staff groups, September 2003.

² Nursing assistants/auxiliaries, nursery nurses, healthcare assistants and support staff in nursing areas. Also includes clerical and administrative staff and maintenance and works staff working specifically in clinical areas, for example medical secretaries and medical records officers. They also include all support workers and healthcare assistants in central functions, as these are mainly general porters involved in moving patients around the hospital.

³ ST&T trainees and helper/assistants. healthcare assistants, support workers, clerical and administrative staff and maintenance and works staff specifically identified as supporting ST&T staff.

⁴ Trainee ambulance personnel as well as healthcare assistants, support workers, clerical and administrative staff and maintenance and works staff specifically identified as supporting the ambulance service.

Source:

Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

210W

§ Mr. Burstow
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget for NHS professionals is for each of the next three years. [163510]

§ Mr. Hutton
The budget for 2004–05 will be agreed very shortly. Budgets for the subsequent two years will be agreed at a later stage.

NHS hospital and community health services: Support to clinical staff by area and by grade in England as at 30 September each year
							Headcount
	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Total support to clinical staff	283,871	289,363	296,619	307,225	325,890	344,524	360,666
Support to doctors and nursing staff^1.2	240,040	243,960	249,216	257,136	271,978	287,098	398,752
Unqualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff	116.434	116,580	119,678	123,847	128,043	133,876	137,242
Clerical and administrative—clinical support	63,971	66,145	68,425	72,406	77,861	83,312	90,057
Maintenance and works—clinical support	189	151	170	175	154	184	104
Health care assistants—nursing	19,227	21,693	22,429	24.040	29,014	32,657	35,330
Other support staff—nursing	25,197	25,140	24,862	23,422	24,660	24,760	24,253
Health care assistants—central functions	102	156	147	159	172	216	270
Other support staff—central functions	12,579	11,952	11.560	11,046	9,885	9,733	8,909
Nursing, midwifery and health visiting learners	2,341	2,143	1,945	2,041	2,189	2,360	2,587
Support to scientific, therapeutic and technical staff^1.3	38,074	39,162	40,465	41,800	44,602	48,030	52,230
Unqualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff of which:	23,818	24,180	25,667	26,562	28,806	30,942	33,969
Student/trainee	2,419	2,328	2,658	2,808	3,508	3,923	4,755
Helper/assistant	21,399	21,852	23,009	23,754	25,298	27,019	29,214
Clerical and administrative—STT support	12,584	12,703	12,726	12,986	13,374	14,666	15,891
Maintenance and works—STT support	57	110	78	68	86	68	94
Healthcare assistants—STT support	420	703	677	735	750	783	880
Other support staff—STT support	1,195	1,466	1,317	1,449	1,586	1,571	1,396
Support to ambulance staff^1,4	5,757	6,241	6,938	8,289	9,310	9,396	9,684
Ambulance trainees	816	812	1,127	1,657	2,069	2,103	2,137
Clerical and administrative—ambulance support	2,495	2,569	2,674	2,986	3,039	2,933	3,059
Maintenance and works—ambulance support	137	118	151	120	195	260	274
Health care assistants—ambulance support	1,461	1,769	1,832	2,130	2,599	2,712	2,964
Other support staff—ambulance support	848	973	1,154	1,396	1,408	1,388	1,250
¹ NHS staff by staff groups, September 2003.
² Nursing assistants/auxiliaries, nursery nurses, healthcare assistants and support staff in nursing areas. Also includes clerical and administrative staff and maintenance and works staff working specifically in clinical areas, for example medical secretaries and medical records officers. They also include all support workers and healthcare assistants in central functions, as these are mainly general porters involved in moving patients around the hospital.
³ ST&T trainees and helper/assistants. healthcare assistants, support workers, clerical and administrative staff and maintenance and works staff specifically identified as supporting ST&T staff.
⁴ Trainee ambulance personnel as well as healthcare assistants, support workers, clerical and administrative staff and maintenance and works staff specifically identified as supporting the ambulance service.
Source:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.