HC Deb 28 January 1993 vol 217 cc807-8W
Ms. Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cardiac specialists were employed in the NHS for the years 1979, 1989 and 1992.

Dr. Mawhinney

Numbers of doctors of all grades in the cardiology and cardiothoracic specialties in England for 1979, 1989 and 1991, by whole-time equivalent are given in the table. Data for 1992 are not yet available; figures supplied relate to 1991.

1979 1989 1991
Cardiology 260.0 427.5 475.1
Cardiothoracic surgery 284.9 352.0 375.7
Total 544.9 779.5 850.8

This represents a 43 per cent. increase over the 10 years to 1989 and a further increase of 9.1 per cent. in the last two years.