Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many district nurses were employed by NHS England in each of the last 10 years.

NHS England does not employ staff in district nursing roles. A range of organisations, and staff groups within them, provide community health services in England and employ district nurses, including National Health Service trusts, Community Interest Companies, charities and private providers.

For district nurses who are employed by the NHS, NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics for England which can be accessed at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics/

These include staff working in NHS trusts and commissioning bodies, but exclude staff employed by general practitioner surgeries, local authorities, and other independent providers who make up a significant sector of the Community Health Services provider market.