HC Deb 08 September 2003 vol 410 cc181-2W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the ratio of(a) doctors and (b) nurses to people is in England. [127524]

Mr. Hutton

The table shows the ratio of hospital, public health medicine and community health services staff, general practitioners and nurses to the population in England.

Population per Doctor/Nurse
Number
England, as at 30 September 2002 England total
Population 49,342,229
Doctors1 104,460
Population per Doctor 472
of which:
HCHS staff1 72,168
Population per Doctor 684
General Medical Practitioners2 32,292
Population per Doctor 1,528
All Qualified Nursing Staff 367,520
Population per Nurse 134
1 HCHS stands for Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services.
2 Excludes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and Hospital Medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part-time in hospitals.

Notes:

1. All Practitioners include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs, PMS Salaried GPs, Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (para. 52 SFA), PMS Other and GP Retainers.

2. Practice Nurses employed by Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs).

3. 2001 based resident population projections for England for mid year 2002.

Sources:

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Government Actuary's Department (GAD).

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