§ Mr. Bill O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) radiologists and (b) biomedical scientists have been recruited into the NHS in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [183011]
§ Mr. HuttonThe data requested are shown in the table.
National health service hospital, public health medicine and community health services: biomedical scientists and medical and
dental staff with a specialty in clinical radiology in England as at
30 September each year
Headcount Biomedical scientists
All medical and dental staff with a specialty in
clinical radiology
of which: Consultant
1999 12,714 2,164 1,507 2000 12,379 2,303 1,585 2001 12,742 2,454 1,645 2002 13,117 2,538 1,702 2003 12,898 2,693 1,810 Sources: Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census. Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census. Since 1999, the number of biomedical scientists employed in the national health service has increase by 184 or 1.4 per cent., the overall number of qualified staff working in pathology in the NHS has increased by 1,466 or 9 per cent. and the numbers working in support to these staff has increased by 2,221 or 25 per cent.
In terms of the medical work force, the number of clinical radiology staff has increased by 529 or 24 per cent. and the numbers of consultant clinical radiologists specifically have increased by 303 or 20 per cent. since 1999.
Furthermore, training places for biomedical scientists are being increased considerably to ensure increases in the work force in future years. Latest figures from strategic health authorities (SHAs) suggest that in 2003–04, around 200 or 74 per cent. more biomedical scientist students were supported by SHAs than were the previous year.
We are also ensuring that trained specialists are available in the future by investing in training places. We have centrally funded 186 additional specialist registrar places in clinical radiology between 2002–03 and 2005–06.