House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 25 Oct 2001 (pt 8)

NORTHERN IRELAND

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will answer the question tabled by the hon. Member for Yeovil on 20 July [ref. 428]. [9961]

Jane Kennedy: I answered these questions today.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many PFI transactions have been overseen by his Department in each of the last 10 years; what his estimate is of the cost savings made in each of these transactions in comparison with the public sector alternative; what are the outstanding payments to be made in relation to these transactions for each of the next 15 years; and if he will make a statement; [5720]

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 341W

Jane Kennedy: The NIO has had no involvement with PFI projects over the last 10 years.

HEALTH

Spinal Injuries

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the spinal injuries units in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [6751]

Ms Blears [holding answer 15 October 2001]: There are eight units in England as follows:

Middlesbrough: South Cleveland Hospital

Oswestry: Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital

Salisbury: Odstock Hospital

Sheffield: Northern General Hospital

Southport: Southport and Formby General Hospital

Stanmore: Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

Stoke Mandeville: Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

On 28 February 2001 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that a National Service Framework would be developed for long term conditions, and that this would have a particular focus on the needs of people with neurological disease and brain and spinal injury.

Issues relating to Wales are matters for the devolved Assembly.

Maternity Services

Ms Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when information will be provided on the criteria and deadline for applications to the maternity services capital fund; if funds from the fund can be used to create midwifery-led birth centres in existing maternity centres; and if funding will be approved for the creation of (a) stand-alone birth centres and (b) birth centres within a community and cottage hospital. [7072]

Ms Blears: Letters inviting applications for the maternity service capital funds, including the criteria, were issued to the regions on 11 July 2001, copies of

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 342W

which have been placed in the Library. The funding allocations for each unit were announced on 11 October 2001.

This capital investment of £100 million is to modernise and upgrade facilities in maternity units to improve the environment in which care is provided and not primarily for the redesigning of maternity services. Each existing maternity unit and/or trust decided their own priorities for using the capital fund after consultation with local health communities, staff and service users.

The National Health Service provides a variety of types of care for women during pregnancy and childbirth including care in midwife-led birth. We expect this variety to continue and it is important that decisions about service provision are made at a local level.

Herceptin

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps the Government are taking to speed up the assessment periods for Herceptin; and if he will make a statement; [7078]

(a)

(b)

Ms Blears: The assessment report for the appraisal on Herceptin was extended following consultation in order to consider additional clinical data. While it is regrettable that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's guidance should be delayed, it is in the interests of all concerned that NICE's authoritative guidance should be soundly based and fair.

NICE's appraisal committee will meet again on 25 October 2001 and, if there are no appeals, guidance is expected in December 2001.

Viagra has not been referred to NICE for appraisal as regulations regarding the availability of Viagra and other specified drug treatments for impotence have been in place since July 1999.

MRSA

Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what chemical agents are being used within the NHS to combat MRSA. [8722]

Mr. Hutton: The following chemical agents that are active against methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus are currently in use in the national health service:

Chemical agent Composition/ingredients

All purpose cleaner/sanitiser for hard surface cleaning five litre: Brand D10 2-Aminoethanol (OES)

Nonionic surfactant

Cationic surfactant

Surface sanitiser for hard surfaces 3 per cent. available chlorine 10 kilogramme: Brand D4BX Chlorinated trisodium phosphate

Powder surface sanitiser 2 per cent. available chlorine 500 gram: Brand Titan Sodium silicate

Sanitiser Anionic surfactant

Sodium dichlorolsocyanurate dihydrate

Detergent liquid general purpose neutral 5 litre: Brand Hospec Aqueous solution of anionic/nonionic surfactants, salts and preservatives

Chemical agent	Composition/ingredients
All purpose cleaner/sanitiser for hard surface cleaning five litre: Brand D10	2-Aminoethanol (OES)
	Nonionic surfactant
	Cationic surfactant
Surface sanitiser for hard surfaces 3 per cent. available chlorine 10 kilogramme: Brand D4BX	Chlorinated trisodium phosphate
Powder surface sanitiser 2 per cent. available chlorine 500 gram: Brand Titan	Sodium silicate
Sanitiser	Anionic surfactant
	Sodium dichlorolsocyanurate dihydrate
Detergent liquid general purpose neutral 5 litre: Brand Hospec	Aqueous solution of anionic/nonionic surfactants, salts and preservatives

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 343W

Although the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency has national contracts for the items listed, individual NHS trusts may buy other products containing agents that combat MRSA.

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in each health authority contracted MRSA in each of the years 1995 to 2000. [9238]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 24 October 2001]: Aggregate data on numbers of incidents of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) voluntarily submitted by national health service trusts for specialist microbiological tests since 1995 are shown in the table. These data are routinely available on a regional basis only. Data on staphylococcus aureus bacteraemias (blood infections) showing the proportion resistant to methicillin in England and Wales are published quarterly by the Public Health Laboratory Service in the Communicable Disease Report. Copies of these are available in the Library. More comprehensive information about bacteraemias, including MRSA, has been collected from all acute trusts since 1 April 2001 and these data will be published from 1 April 2002.

Incidents of MRSA: 1995–98

1995 1996 1997 1998

Anglia and Oxford 142 237 297 223

North Thames 566 539 544 289

North West 65 176 259 215

Northern and Yorkshire 90 150 224 202

South and West 80 206 254 101

South Thames 377 421 385 220

Trent 52 99 123 109

West Midlands 128 121 102 69

Wales 116 158 176 169

Total 1,616 2,107 2,364 1,597

	1995	1996	1997	1998
Anglia and Oxford	142	237	297	223
North Thames	566	539	544	289
North West	65	176	259	215
Northern and Yorkshire	90	150	224	202
South and West	80	206	254	101
South Thames	377	421	385	220
Trent	52	99	123	109
West Midlands	128	121	102	69
Wales	116	158	176	169

Total	1,616	2,107	2,364	1,597

Notes:

1. Population estimates are mid-year estimates based on 1991 census data.

2. For 1995 and 1996 and the first half of 1997 data have been amalgamated to the approximate boundaries of the new regional office areas. This allows for comparison with subsequent years.

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 344W

Incidents of MRSA: 1999–2000

1999 2000

Eastern 80 60

London 290 170

Northern and Yorkshire 170 70

North West 180 90

South East 170 100

South West 40 10

Trent 100 30

West Midlands 30 50

Wales 130 40

Total 1,190 620

	1999	2000
Eastern	80	60
London	290	170
Northern and Yorkshire	170	70
North West	180	90
South East	170	100
South West	40	10
Trent	100	30
West Midlands	30	50
Wales	130	40

Total	1,190	620

Notes:

1. Data for 2000 are complete.

2. An incident is three or more patients infected or colonised by the same strain of MRSA in the same month from the same hospital.

3. The criteria for submission of isolates of MRSA (and other isolates of staphylococcus aureus) to the Public Health Laboratory Service for specialist tests have been revised twice since 1996 (in January 1998 and in January 2000).

4. These revised criteria have led to a fall in the number of incidents of MRSA that were reported to the PHLS.

Job Vacancies

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish figures giving job vacancy percentages by health authority for (a) radiographers, (b) radiation physicists and (c) radiography technicians. [9094]

Mr. Hutton: Figures for diagnostic and therapeutic radiographer vacancies are in the tables. The Department does not collect vacancy information for radiation physicists or radiography technicians.

Department of Health vacancies survey, March 2001 vacancies in NHS trusts by region and health authority areas⁽¹²⁾, radiographer three month vacancy rates⁽¹³⁾^,⁽¹⁴⁾ and staff in post

Staff in post (wte) Three month vacancy rates (Percentage)

Diagnostic radiographers Therapeutic radiographers Diagnostic radiographers Therapeutic radiographers

England total 9,165 1,309 4.4 8.0

Northern and Yorkshire 1,323 154 2.5 10.4

Bradford HA 114 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Calderdale and Kirklees HA 102 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

County Durham and Darlington HA 80 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

East Riding and Hull HA 94 14 5.0 27.0

Gateshead and South Tyneside HA 68 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 1.5 n/a

Leeds HA 273 56 3.5 18.2

Newcastle and North Tyneside HA 119 44 1.2 1.1

North Cumbria HA 51 8 6.6 0.0

North Yorkshire HA 123 1 3.1 0.0

Northumberland HA 48 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.6 n/a

Sunderland HA 56 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 3.4 n/a

Tees HA 134 32 1.5 0.0

Wakefield HA 60 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 7.6 n/a

Trent 816 154 2.5 1.9

Barnsley HA 32 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Doncaster HA 55 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Leicestershire HA 127 23 0.0 4.3

Lincolnshire HA 96 31 0.0 0.0

North Derbyshire HA 31 7 0.0 0.0

North Nottinghamshire HA 57 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 1.4 n/a

Nottingham HA 131 29 5.1 0.0

Rotherham HA 36 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Sheffield HA 124 35 0.0 0.0

South Humber HA 49 7 9.3 0.0

Southern Derbyshire HA 78 23 9.3 8.1

West Midlands 912 84 5.5 15.1

Birmingham HA 261 32 7.3 15.9

Coventry HA 88 13 12.1 13.7

Dudley HA 53 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 1.9 n/a

Herefordshire HA 24 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

North Staffordshire HA 93 13 2.1 0.0

Sandwell HA 28 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Shropshire HA 79 11 2.7 8.6

Solihull HA ⁽¹⁵⁾— ⁽¹⁵⁾— n/a n/a

South Staffordshire HA 77 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 4.0 n/a

Walsall HA 38 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 9.9 n/a

Warwickshire HA 53 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Wolverhampton HA 45 17 5.7 26.2

Worcestershire HA 73 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 6.4 n/a

North West 1,481 150 3.8 3.8

Bury and Rochdale HA 45 9 0.0 0.0

East Lancashire HA 98 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 8.4 n/a

Liverpool HA 149 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 5.2 n/a

Manchester HA 203 53 5.7 10.1

Morecambe Bay HA 69 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

North Cheshire HA 72 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 8.3 n/a

North West Lancashire HA 132 27 0.0 0.0

Salford and Trafford HA 94 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 5.6 n/a

Sefton HA 110 1 4.2 0.0

South Cheshire HA 103 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

South Lancashire HA 28 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

St. Helens and Knowsley HA 53 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 10.2 n/a

Stockport HA 43 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 7.7 n/a

West Pennine HA 78 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Wigan and Bolton HA 108 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Wirral HA 97 60 3.0 0.0

Eastern 876 137 4.1 6.8

Bedfordshire HA 97 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 5.8 n/a

Cambridgeshire HA 170 41 0.6 10.9

East and North Hertfordshire HA 54 1 15.0 0.0

Norfolk HA 152 29 3.2 0.0

North Essex HA 120 20 2.4 0.0

South Essex HA 100 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 6.5 n/a

Suffolk HA 95 14 0.0 0.0

West Hertfordshire HA 88 32 8.5 8.5

London 1,535 246 7.1 9.1

Barking and Havering HA 57 16 5.0 10.9

Barnet HA 64 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 14.2 n/a

Bexley and Greenwich HA 62 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 6.1 n/a

Brent and Harrow HA 90 2 3.2 0.0

Bromley HA 30 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 6.2 n/a

Camden and Islington HA 246 43 5.4 4.4

Croydon HA 30 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA 117 32 11.3 25.4

East London and The City HA 155 34 6.0 0.0

Enfield and Haringey HA 40 17 4.8 0.0

Hillingdon HA 37 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 7.5 n/a

Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA 151 55 7.9 13.4

Kingston and Richmond HA 48 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.7 n/a

Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA 206 41 1.9 2.4

Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA 146 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 15.6 0.0

Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA 56 5 11.1 0.0

South East 1,300 214 5.1 13.1

Berkshire HA 111 17 3.5 5.5

Buckinghamshire HA 94 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 2.1 n/a

East Kent HA 99 1 4.5 0.0

East Surrey HA 43 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 22.0 n/a

East Sussex, Brighton and Hove HA 130 13 4.4 19.2

Isle of Wight HA 19 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 15.9 n/a

North and Mid Hampshire HA 58 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.9 n/a

Northamptonshire HA 76 23 0.0 0.0

Oxfordshire HA 126 27 11.5 25.5

Portsmouth and South East Hampshire HA 78 29 0.0 6.5

Southampton and South West Hampshire HA 112 30 3.5 21.1

West Kent HA 137 40 6.8 6.9

West Surrey HA 128 35 0.8 2.8

West Sussex HA 90 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 5.5 n/a

South West 921 170 3.0 2.9

Avon HA 265 54 5.1 6.8

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA 86 7 2.3 0.0

Dorset HA 145 26 0.0 0.0

Gloucestershire HA 97 28 0.0 0.0

North East and Devon HA 71 23 0.0 0.0

Somerset HA 69 1 2.8 0.0

South and West Devon HA 119 31 4.0 3.4

Wiltshire HA 69 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 6.7 n/a

Special health authorities 1 ⁽¹⁵⁾— 0.0 n/a

	Staff in post (wte)	Three month vacancy rates (Percentage)
	Diagnostic radiographers	Therapeutic radiographers	Diagnostic radiographers	Therapeutic radiographers
England total	9,165	1,309	4.4	8.0

Northern and Yorkshire	1,323	154	2.5	10.4
Bradford HA	114	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Calderdale and Kirklees HA	102	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
County Durham and Darlington HA	80	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
East Riding and Hull HA	94	14	5.0	27.0
Gateshead and South Tyneside HA	68	⁽¹⁵⁾—	1.5	n/a
Leeds HA	273	56	3.5	18.2
Newcastle and North Tyneside HA	119	44	1.2	1.1
North Cumbria HA	51	8	6.6	0.0
North Yorkshire HA	123	1	3.1	0.0
Northumberland HA	48	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.6	n/a
Sunderland HA	56	⁽¹⁵⁾—	3.4	n/a
Tees HA	134	32	1.5	0.0
Wakefield HA	60	⁽¹⁵⁾—	7.6	n/a

Trent	816	154	2.5	1.9
Barnsley HA	32	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Doncaster HA	55	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Leicestershire HA	127	23	0.0	4.3
Lincolnshire HA	96	31	0.0	0.0
North Derbyshire HA	31	7	0.0	0.0
North Nottinghamshire HA	57	⁽¹⁵⁾—	1.4	n/a
Nottingham HA	131	29	5.1	0.0
Rotherham HA	36	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Sheffield HA	124	35	0.0	0.0
South Humber HA	49	7	9.3	0.0
Southern Derbyshire HA	78	23	9.3	8.1

West Midlands	912	84	5.5	15.1
Birmingham HA	261	32	7.3	15.9
Coventry HA	88	13	12.1	13.7
Dudley HA	53	⁽¹⁵⁾—	1.9	n/a
Herefordshire HA	24	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
North Staffordshire HA	93	13	2.1	0.0
Sandwell HA	28	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Shropshire HA	79	11	2.7	8.6
Solihull HA	⁽¹⁵⁾—	⁽¹⁵⁾—	n/a	n/a
South Staffordshire HA	77	⁽¹⁵⁾—	4.0	n/a
Walsall HA	38	⁽¹⁵⁾—	9.9	n/a
Warwickshire HA	53	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Wolverhampton HA	45	17	5.7	26.2
Worcestershire HA	73	⁽¹⁵⁾—	6.4	n/a

North West	1,481	150	3.8	3.8
Bury and Rochdale HA	45	9	0.0	0.0
East Lancashire HA	98	⁽¹⁵⁾—	8.4	n/a
Liverpool HA	149	⁽¹⁵⁾—	5.2	n/a
Manchester HA	203	53	5.7	10.1
Morecambe Bay HA	69	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
North Cheshire HA	72	⁽¹⁵⁾—	8.3	n/a
North West Lancashire HA	132	27	0.0	0.0
Salford and Trafford HA	94	⁽¹⁵⁾—	5.6	n/a
Sefton HA	110	1	4.2	0.0
South Cheshire HA	103	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
South Lancashire HA	28	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
St. Helens and Knowsley HA	53	⁽¹⁵⁾—	10.2	n/a
Stockport HA	43	⁽¹⁵⁾—	7.7	n/a
West Pennine HA	78	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Wigan and Bolton HA	108	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Wirral HA	97	60	3.0	0.0
Eastern	876	137	4.1	6.8
Bedfordshire HA	97	⁽¹⁵⁾—	5.8	n/a
Cambridgeshire HA	170	41	0.6	10.9
East and North Hertfordshire HA	54	1	15.0	0.0
Norfolk HA	152	29	3.2	0.0
North Essex HA	120	20	2.4	0.0
South Essex HA	100	⁽¹⁵⁾—	6.5	n/a
Suffolk HA	95	14	0.0	0.0
West Hertfordshire HA	88	32	8.5	8.5
London	1,535	246	7.1	9.1
Barking and Havering HA	57	16	5.0	10.9
Barnet HA	64	⁽¹⁵⁾—	14.2	n/a
Bexley and Greenwich HA	62	⁽¹⁵⁾—	6.1	n/a
Brent and Harrow HA	90	2	3.2	0.0
Bromley HA	30	⁽¹⁵⁾—	6.2	n/a
Camden and Islington HA	246	43	5.4	4.4
Croydon HA	30	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow HA	117	32	11.3	25.4
East London and The City HA	155	34	6.0	0.0
Enfield and Haringey HA	40	17	4.8	0.0
Hillingdon HA	37	⁽¹⁵⁾—	7.5	n/a
Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA	151	55	7.9	13.4
Kingston and Richmond HA	48	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.7	n/a
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham HA	206	41	1.9	2.4
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA	146	⁽¹⁵⁾—	15.6	0.0
Redbridge and Waltham Forest HA	56	5	11.1	0.0

South East	1,300	214	5.1	13.1
Berkshire HA	111	17	3.5	5.5
Buckinghamshire HA	94	⁽¹⁵⁾—	2.1	n/a
East Kent HA	99	1	4.5	0.0
East Surrey HA	43	⁽¹⁵⁾—	22.0	n/a
East Sussex, Brighton and Hove HA	130	13	4.4	19.2
Isle of Wight HA	19	⁽¹⁵⁾—	15.9	n/a
North and Mid Hampshire HA	58	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.9	n/a
Northamptonshire HA	76	23	0.0	0.0
Oxfordshire HA	126	27	11.5	25.5
Portsmouth and South East Hampshire HA	78	29	0.0	6.5
Southampton and South West Hampshire HA	112	30	3.5	21.1
West Kent HA	137	40	6.8	6.9
West Surrey HA	128	35	0.8	2.8
West Sussex HA	90	⁽¹⁵⁾—	5.5	n/a

South West	921	170	3.0	2.9
Avon HA	265	54	5.1	6.8
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA	86	7	2.3	0.0
Dorset HA	145	26	0.0	0.0
Gloucestershire HA	97	28	0.0	0.0
North East and Devon HA	71	23	0.0	0.0
Somerset HA	69	1	2.8	0.0
South and West Devon HA	119	31	4.0	3.4
Wiltshire HA	69	⁽¹⁵⁾—	6.7	n/a
Special health authorities	1	⁽¹⁵⁾—	0.0	n/a

⁽¹²⁾ Health authorities figures are based on trusts, and do not necessarily reflect the geographical provision of healthcare

⁽¹³⁾ Three month vacancies are vacancies as at 31 March 2001 which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents)

⁽¹⁴⁾ Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post from the non-medical workforce census (whole time equivalent)

⁽¹⁵⁾ Trust does not employ these staff

Notes:

1. Percentages rounded to one decimal place

2. Numbers rounded to the nearest whole number

Source:

Department of Health Vacancies Survey 2001

Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2000

Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2001

Vacancies in NHS trusts by region and Radiographers

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 347W

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 348W

wte wte Percentages

Staff in post Number of three month vacancies Three month vacancy rates

Diagnostic radiographers Therapeutic radiographers Diagnostic radiographers Therapeutic radiographers Diagnostic radiographers Therapeutic radiographers

England total 9,170 1,310 420 110 4.4 8.0

Northern and Yorkshire 1,323 154 30 20 2.5 10.4

Trent 816 154 20 0 2.5 1.9

West Midlands 912 84 50 20 5.5 15.1

North West 1,481 150 60 10 3.8 3.8

Eastern 876 137 40 10 4.1 6.8

London 1,535 246 120 20 7.1 9.1

South East 1,300 214 70 30 5.1 13.1

South West 921 170 30 10 3.0 2.9

Special health authorities 1 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0 0.0 n/a

	wte	wte	Percentages
	Staff in post	Number of three month vacancies	Three month vacancy rates
	Diagnostic radiographers	Therapeutic radiographers	Diagnostic radiographers	Therapeutic radiographers	Diagnostic radiographers	Therapeutic radiographers
England total	9,170	1,310	420	110	4.4	8.0

Northern and Yorkshire	1,323	154	30	20	2.5	10.4
Trent	816	154	20	0	2.5	1.9
West Midlands	912	84	50	20	5.5	15.1
North West	1,481	150	60	10	3.8	3.8
Eastern	876	137	40	10	4.1	6.8
London	1,535	246	120	20	7.1	9.1
South East	1,300	214	70	30	5.1	13.1
South West	921	170	30	10	3.0	2.9

Special health authorities	1	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0	0.0	n/a

⁽¹⁶⁾ Means no staff

Notes:

1. Three month vacancies are vacancies as at 31 March 2001 which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents)

2. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post from the September 2000 medical and dental and non-medical workforce census (whole time equivalent)

3. Health authority figures are based on trusts, and do not necessarily reflect the geographical provision of healthcare

4. Percentages rounded to one decimal place

5. Numbers rounded to the nearest 10 for three month vacancies and to the nearest one for staff in post

25 Oct 2001 : Column: 349W

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