(2) how many health visitors were working for the NHS in (a) September 2005 and (b) September 2006;
(3) what work force planning the NHS has undertaken, with particular reference to the future recruitment and retention of health visitors;
(4) what assessment she has made of (a) the age profile of health visitors working for the NHS and (b) its implications for future recruitment and retention of health visitors.
Table 1 shows the number of health visitors in the national health service in England over the last 10 years.
The number of health visitors has remained static over the last 10 years but there has been significant growth in the overall number of nurses working in primary and community care settings in both 2005-06 of 1,039 (1 per cent.) and since 1997 of 29,543 (38.2 per cent.).
Work force planning in terms of the recruitment and retention of health visitors is a matter for local work force planners in local primary care trusts and strategic health authorities as they are best placed to assess the health visiting needs of their local population.
Table 2 shows the age profile of health visitors as at September 2006.
Headcount Full time equivalent 1997 12,410 10,030 1998 12,570 10,070 1999 12,800 10,160 2000 12,827 10,046 2001 13,053 10,186 2002 12,774 9,912 2003 12,984 9,999 2004 13,303 10,137 2005 12,818 9,809 20061 12,034 9,376 1 More accurate validation in 2006 has resulted in 232 headcount duplicate records being identified and removed from the non-medical census. Source: Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census
Headcount Health visitor Under 25 13 25 to 29 274 30 to 34 672 35 to 39 1,402 40 to 44 2,257 45 to 49 2,590 50 to 54 2,126 55 to 59 1,588 60 to 64 672 65 and over 89 Unknown 351 All staff 12,034