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NHS: Vacancies

Volume 467: debated on Thursday 15 November 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition of a vacancy he uses in relation to the NHS workforce. (162483)

The annual national health service vacancy survey collects information at the end of March on vacancies which trusts are finding hard to fill.

The Information Centre who publish the vacancy survey define a vacancy as

‘one which has lasted three months or more and which employers are actively trying to fill as at 31 March.’

The emphasis is therefore on vacancies which trusts are finding hard to fill, rather than on normal staff turnover.