§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) headcount and (b) whole-time equivalent nurses there were in each year between 1979 and 1997 inclusive. [168994]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information requested is shown in the table.
Between 1983, the first comparable year with current information, and 1997, the number of qualified nurses increased by 62,515. Since 1997. the number of qualified nurses employed in the National Health Service has increased by 67,503.
186W
NHS hospital-based and community1qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including Practice Nurses employed by Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents5in England as at30 September each specified year9 Whole-time equivalent Headcount 1979 1,4161,359 1,4,8190,243 1980 1,3167,097 1,3,8196,361 1981 1,3179,144 1,3,8206,029 1982 1,2,3185,913 1,2,3,8212,512 1983 224,971 8256,341 1984 229,646 8262,908 1985 236,340 8271,382 1986 239,271 8274,670 1987 241,981 8279,552 1988 245,404 8284,242 1989 249,240 296,937 1990 250,080 298,966 19916 252,010 8293,774 19926 255,691 8297,351 19936 251,456 8293,379
NHS hospital-based and community1qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff including Practice Nurses employed by Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents5in England as at30 September each specified year9 Whole-time equivalent Headcount 19946 247,883 305,784 19957 256,567 316,893 19967 256,891 316,515 1997 256,093 318,856 1Figures for 1979–1982 are hospital staff only and are therefore not directly comparable with later years 21982 data is as at 31 December 3Figures taken from 1985 HPSSS 4Figures taken from 1982 HPSSS 5UPEs includes GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried Gps 6Figures for 1991 to 1994 may riot be fully comparable with other data due to under-reporting of fundholding practice staff by FHSAs. 7Includes estimated data for Buckinghamshire. 8Headcount Practice Nurse figures are estimated for these years.9 All Practice nurse data as at 1 October Source: Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics Department of Health and Social Security Health and Personal Social Services Statistics (HPSSS) Digest of Health Statistics