Democratic Unionist Party MEP Jim Allister has today responded to the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services Workforce Census. The document published annually by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety details, by sector how many people are employed in the National Health Service. The figures show that while there have been modest increases in some sectors such as Qualified Nursing and Midwifery and Social Services, the sector which has shown greatest increase in numbers has been Administrative and Clerical employees. The number of ancillary and work and maintenance staff has actually declined.

Jim Allister said, “This census report contains some positive aspects and some negative aspects. On the positive side, I welcome the fact that the number of Qualified Nursing and Midwifery staff has increased from 13,765 in 1994 to 14,905 in 2003; this represents an increase of 8%. Similarly the number of people employed in the Professional/Technical category has increased from 4,036 in 1994 to 5,779 in 2003, representing an increase of some 40%. This is reflective of improving and advancing technical innovations in patient care.

Those are the positives, now for the negatives. These figures also reveal a massive expansion in the NHS bureaucratic structure. In 1994, 9083 Administration and Clerical staff were employed by the NHS, by 2003 that figure had sky-rocketed to nearly 12,000, standing at 11,979, this represents an increase of some 32%. Over the same period (1994-2003), the number of Work and Maintenance staff declined from 782 to 554, a decrease of some 29%, while more worryingly the number of Ancillary and General staff, which includes Personal Social Services care staff has fallen by 16%.

It is clear that the number of people employed in the NHS in Northern Ireland has expanded. It is therefore of extreme regret that a large proportion of these newly created jobs are in the Clerical/Administration sector. I would like to see money going towards providing more doctors, more nurses and ancillary staff to ensure hospital cleanliness”.

Democratic Unionist Party MEP Jim Allister has today responded to the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services Workforce Census. The document published annually by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety details, by sector how many people are employed in the National Health Service. The figures show that while there have been modest increases in some sectors such as Qualified Nursing and Midwifery and Social Services, the sector which has shown greatest increase in numbers has been Administrative and Clerical employees. The number of ancillary and work and maintenance staff has actually declined.

Jim Allister said, “This census report contains some positive aspects and some negative aspects. On the positive side, I welcome the fact that the number of Qualified Nursing and Midwifery staff has increased from 13,765 in 1994 to 14,905 in 2003; this represents an increase of 8%. Similarly the number of people employed in the Professional/Technical category has increased from 4,036 in 1994 to 5,779 in 2003, representing an increase of some 40%. This is reflective of improving and advancing technical innovations in patient care.

Those are the positives, now for the negatives. These figures also reveal a massive expansion in the NHS bureaucratic structure. In 1994, 9083 Administration and Clerical staff were employed by the NHS, by 2003 that figure had sky-rocketed to nearly 12,000, standing at 11,979, this represents an increase of some 32%. Over the same period (1994-2003), the number of Work and Maintenance staff declined from 782 to 554, a decrease of some 29%, while more worryingly the number of Ancillary and General staff, which includes Personal Social Services care staff has fallen by 16%.

It is clear that the number of people employed in the NHS in Northern Ireland has expanded. It is therefore of extreme regret that a large proportion of these newly created jobs are in the Clerical/Administration sector. I would like to see money going towards providing more doctors, more nurses and ancillary staff to ensure hospital cleanliness”.