---

Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. David Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors there were in the NHS in England (i) at the latest available date and (ii) in 1990. [18457] Mr. Malone: The information requested is shown in the table. NHS Hospital and Community Health Services medical, nursing and midwifery staff and General Medical Services general medical practitioners and practice nurses England 1990 and 1995 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1990 1995 HCHS medical staff and GMS general medical 73,720 80,820 practitioners{1} (headcount) HCHS nursing and midwifery staff and GMS 344,260 346,670 practice nurses{2} (whole-time equivalents) Not included in the above: HCHS learners{3} 58,840 6,900 Project 2000 students{3} 3,000 33,000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: {1} Figures exclude hospital practitioners and clinical assistants to avoid double counting. {2} Excluding agency staff. {3} Learners are nurses on traditional nurse training courses, and are directly employed by the NHS HCHS. Project 2000 training was introduced in 1989 and has gradually replaced traditional pre-registration nurse training. Project 2000 students are funded by bursaries, they are supernumerary not employees, and are thus excluded from the count of NHS HCHS nursing staff. Figures for Project 2000 students are headcounts and should not be added to other nursing figures in the table which are whole-time equivalents. HCHS figures are as at 30 September each year. GMS figures are as at 1 October each year. Source: Department of Health's annual medical and dental and non-medical work force censuses and bi-annual general medical services census.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

18457; 291 c734W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Doctors Nurses Staff Midwives

Contains statistics

Yes