§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many consultant psychiatrists are currently employed in the National Health Service; how many will be required by the year 2000 to meet the needs of the care in the community programme; and whether enough training posts exist to ensure that the future demand will be met.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe numbers of consultant psychiatrists currently employed in the National Health Service in England are given in the table. It is for regional health authorities to judge, as an integral part of their planning, how many additional consultants will be needed in future to meet their plans for service development, including the requirements of the care in the community programme. The Department, with appropriate professional advice, is monitoring closely the expected future demand for consultant psychiatrists to ensure that there are enough training posts.
Consultants in psychiatric specialties employed hr the NHS in England, as at 30 September 1985 Numbers Mental Illness 1,127 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 334 Forensic Psychiatry 35 Mental Handicap 155 Psychotherapy 89 All Psychiatric Specialties 1,740 Figures include senior hospital medical officers with allowance, but exclude staff in special hospitals.