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Intensive Care Beds

Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) intensive care beds and (b) high dependency beds there were within the NHS in each of the last 30 years. [105676]

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Mr. Denham: Available information is the average daily number of available and occupied beds by ward type for each National Health Service trust. This is published annually in "Bed Availability and Occupancy, England" and is available in the Library. However, this was an intensive care ward-based count. As wards classified as intensive care can also contain other types of beds, we have piloted a new census focusing specifically on adult intensive care and high dependency beds. We will publish the results in due course.

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many additional intensive care beds were created in each NHS trust hospital during 1999; and how many were withdrawn from use in that year. [106204]

Mr. Denham: Information is not available in the form requested. However, we introduced on 31 March 1999 the first of a twice yearly census of intensive care and high dependency beds. A further census was taken on 30 September 1999. We will publish the results in due course.

Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will (1) list the number of intensive care beds opened at each hospital since 1 May 1997, giving the date of opening in each case; [106176]

Mr. Denham: The information requested is not available centrally. Available information is the average daily number of available beds by ward type for each National Health Service trust. This is published annually in "Bed Availability and Occupancy, England" and copies are in the Library. However, this is a ward-based count and as wards classified as intensive care can also contain other beds, we have piloted a new twice yearly census focusing specifically on adult intensive care and high dependency beds. We will publish the results in due course.

NHS Staff

Mr. Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors left employment with the National Health Service in each year from 1990 to the latest year for which figures are available. [105655]

Mr. Denham: Information about the numbers of nurses and doctors who have left the National Health Service is not collected centrally.

Mr. Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors were employed by the National Health Service in each year from 1990 to the latest year for which figures are available. [105593]

Mr. Denham: Information about numbers of nurses and doctors employed by the National Health Service in each year from 1990 to 1998 (latest year available) is shown in the tables.

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NHS hospital and community health services: Nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 1990-98
England as at 30 September of each year

Numbers (headcount)Whole-time equivalents
1990463,790395,360
1991473,220392,200
1992460,180378,780
1993445,160361,460
1994431,300348,690
1995(26)411,840330,440
1996415,750332,660
1997417,570330,620
1998421,750332,200

(26) A new classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Pre-1995 the classification was based on payscales.

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten.

2. Figures exclude agency staff and learners.


Medical staff (doctors) employed by the NHS 1990-98
England as at 30 September

Hospital doctors (27)Public health medicine and community health medicineAll doctors
199048,5905,90054,490
199149,8905,32055,210
199250,3804,94055,320
199351,5504,71056,260
199452,0404,07056,110
199555,3503,92059,270
199657,1203,61060,730
199759,8603,41063,270
199861,6503,21064,860

(27) Hospital medical staff.

Notes:

1. Figures rounded to nearest 10.

2. Totals may not equal sum of components due to rounding.

Source:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.


Mr. Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors were in training in each year from 1990 to the latest year for which figures are available. [105656]

Mr. Denham: Information about numbers of doctors in training in each year from 1990 to 1998 (latest available) is shown in the table. Information about numbers of nurses in training is not available for 1990-91 and 1991-1992. Data for 1998-99 are unvalidated.

Available information for nurses is shown in the table.

Doctors in training, 1990-98, England at 30 September

House officerSenior house officerRegistrar groupGP registrars (28)All staff
19903,02010,9009,5701,56025,050
19913,06011,2909,9001,64025,890
19923,04011,57010,0801,61026,300
19933,09011,96010,3701,53026,950
19943,02012,19010,5701,44027,220
19953,22012,93010,8201,40028,370
19963,22013,77010,8401,30029,130
19973,36014,56011,3601,34030,620
19983,45014,75011,5901,45031,240

(28) Previously referred to as trainees

Notes:

1. Figures rounded to nearest 10

2. Totals may not equal sum of components due to rounding

Sources:

1. Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census

2. Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics


NHS Funded Pre-Registration Nursing and Midwifery Training Commissions (29)

Nursing Midwifery (31) Total Pre-reg
Year DiplomaDegree (30)Total DegreeDiplomaTotal Pre-regOtherNursing and MidwiferyAdjusted total (32)
1992-9314,88319015,073422062481,29215,32116,338
1993-9412,43919912,638924505421,21513,18014,197
1994-9510,59425510,849925226141,04411,46312,480
1995-9611,49525611,7511284856131,03012,36413,381
1996-9713,01129713,30816149865999313,96714,984
1997-9814,42929714,72622457279690815,52216,539
1998-9915,1551,20116,35625461186589217,22117,221

(29) Data updated on 1 October 1999 following a validation of midwifery data with ROs (against agreed data definitions given in the table) and new data from SERO

(30) The step change in degree commissions in 1998-99 is a result of the transfer from DfEE to DH following Dearing

(31) Midwifery data for 1992-93 is incomplete. Some degree data missing--poss. 60 places in 1993-94, poss. 24 places in 1995-96. 1996-97 onwards is incomplete.

(32) Adjusted to take account of Dearing transfer 1,017 places (1992-93 to 1997-98 inc.)

Notes:

1. Planned commissions (with degree data from SGU)

2. Unvalidated 1998-99 outturn

3. Data not available for 1990-91 and 1991-92


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Data Protection

Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for further action to restrain the use of anonymised data extracted from prescription forms; and if he will make a statement on the ownership of the data contained in prescription forms. [106061]

Ms Stuart: There has recently been a judgment in the Court of Appeal dealing with the use that can be made of anonymised data extracted from prescription forms. I have arranged for a Petition for leave to appeal to be lodged at the judicial office of the House of Lords. We shall also continue to consider the complex legal issues raised by the judgment, and, in particular, the implications for the use of data on prescription forms.

Accident and Emergency Departments

(West Midlands)

Mr. John M. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many 24 hour accident and emergency departments there were in the West Midlands region on (a) 31 December 1970 and (b) 31 December 1999. [105989]

Ms Stuart: On 31 December 1999 there were 21 24-hour accident and emergency departments in the West Midlands region.

The figure for 31 December 1970 is not available. Changes in the configuration of health services and in the definition of what constitutes an accident and emergency department have altered significantly over the last 30 years.


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