HC Deb 08 January 2004 vol 416 cc464-6W
Mr. Baron

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the vacancy rates were for health visitors in(a) the UK, (b) London and (c) each region for each year since 1997. [146326]

Mr. Hutton

[holding answer 7 January 2003]The Department's annual vacancy survey, which collects health visitor vacancies started in 1999. The three month vacancy rate and number for health visitors and also the number of health visitors in post in both whole time equivalent and headcount in England and in each Government Office Region since 1999 is shown in the table.

Information in respect of health visitors in Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland office.

Department of Health Vacancies Survey
Health visitor three month vacancies in NHS trusts by Government office region—three month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post
3 month vacancy

rate (percentage)

3 month vacancy

number

Staff in post (whole

time equivalent)

Staff in post

(headcount)

March 2001 September 2000
England 2.2 227 10,046 12,827
East Midlands 1.4 11 796 1,028
East of England 1.6 16 928 1,210
London 6.4 105 1,604 1,968
North East 0.7 4 593 691
North West 0.9 15 1,562 1,896
South East 2.3 35 1,512 2,102
South West 1.7 16 938 1,231
West Midlands 0.6 7 1,107 1,410
Yorkshire and the Humber 1.6 17 1,007 1,291

Department of Health Vacancies Survey
Health visitor three month vacancies in NHS trusts by Government office region—three month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post
3 month vacancy

rate (percentage)

3 month vacancy

number

Staff in post (whole

time equivalent)

Staff in post

(headcount)

March 2002 September 2001
England 2.7 281 10,186 13,053
East Midlands 1.6 12 798 1,038
East of England 2.5 23 884 1,187
London 7.0 120 1,636 1,999
North East 1.8 13 565 655
North West 1.4 23 1,594 1,942
South East 3.1 46 1,496 2,047
South West 1.5 15 935 1,258
West Midlands 1.2 13 1,140 1,435
Yorkshire and the Humber 1.5 16 1,139 1,492

Department of Health Vacancies Survey
Health visitor three month vacancies in NHS trusts by Government office region—three month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post
3 month vacancy

rate (percentage)

3 month vacancy

number

Staff in post (whole

time equivalent)

Staff in post

(headcount)

March 2003 September 2002
England 2.3 229 9,912 12,774
East Midlands 2.7 21 784 1,016
East of England 3.4 31 855 1,148
London 5.2 77 1,454 1,763
North East 0.8 5 570 668
North West 1.2 18 1,578 1,968
South East 3.0 46 1,546 2.166
South West 1.6 15 919 1,241
West Midlands 0.5 5 1,108 1,391
Yorkshire and the Humber 0.9 11 1,097 1,413

Notes:

1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March each year.

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. Rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus whole-time equivalent staff in post.

4. From 2001, rates are calculated using staff in post from the Vacancy Survey. Prior to this, rates are calculated using staff in post from the previous September's workforce census.

5. Staff in post data is as at 30 September each year.

Source:

Department of Health Vacancy Survey.

Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.