The number of full-time equivalent nurses (including practice nurses) from 1996 are given in the following table:
Number 1996 257,891 1997 256,093 1998 257,597 1999 261,340 2000 266,987 2001 277,334 2002 291,285 2003 304,892 2004 315,440 2005 321,537 2006 322,062 2007 322,182