§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) clinical and (b) non-clinical staff are employed by the national health service; and what plans he has to change the numbers. [184043]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation on the number of clinical and non-clinical staff employed by the national health service is shown in the table.
The Government expects that, within the clinical staff group, over a 2001 baseline, there will be increases of 15,000 general practitioners (GPs) and consultants, 35,000 nurses and midwives and 30,000 therapists and scientists by 2008. The nursing and midwifery forecast has already been achieved and significant progress has been made towards the others, as at September 2003, there were 35,978 more nurses and midwives, 5,231 more GPs and consultants and 11,825 more therapists and scientists than in September 2001.
NHS hospital and community health services (HCHS): Total employed staff by clinical1 and non-clinical2 staff in England as at 30 September 2003 Headcount Total employed staff (HCHS) 1,144,697 Clinical staff1 886,839 Qualified clinical staff 583,566 Other clinical staff 303,273 Non-clinical staff2 257,858 1Clinical staff consists of HCHS medical and dental staff (excluding locums), ambulance staff, nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff, scientific, therapeutic and technical staff and health care assistants and other support staff. 2 Non-clinical staff consists of administration and estates staff and other non-medical staff and those with unknown classification. Note: All figures in this table exclude GP and GP practice staff. Source: Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census