Written question asked by Tom Cox (Labour) on Wednesday, 29 March 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 7 April 2000. It was answered by John Denham (Labour) on Friday, 7 April 2000 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many student nurses were employed in the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority area on 1st March. - Includes figure but not in this format.

Answer: Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many student nurses were employed in the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority area on 1 March. [117408] Mr. Denham: Student nurses undertaking training programmes are recruited by the local university, which holds an education contract with a consortium of National Health Service employers. This consortium includes health authorities and trusts. The joint faculty of health of Kingston University and St. George's Medical School holds an education contract with the South-West London and Epsom Education Consortium. Included within the membership of the consortium is the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority. Student nurses are not employed by either NHS trusts or health authorities. They receive a bursary and are students like any other student attending a programme of study at a university. The number of nursing students undertaking a three year programme of study at the faculty currently numbers 1,073.

Secondary information