HC Deb 27 January 1988 vol 126 cc266-7W
Mr. Bowis

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the latest number of plastic surgeons and the number in 1983 and 1978; and what steps are being taken to recruit, train and retain plastic surgeons.

Mrs. Currie

The numbers of medical staff in the specialty of plastic surgery are set out in the table. Numbers of training grade posts are related to the numbers of expected consultant opportunities. We are satisfied that there are sufficient doctors in training to meet planned developments, but the position is closely monitored by the joint planning advisory committee.

Numbers of hospital medical staff1 in the specialty of plastic surgery at 30 September each year: England
1978 1983 1986
Consultants2 79 88 98
All staff3 198 212 225
1 Permanent paid and honorary staff.
2 Including senior hospital medical officers with allowance.
3 Excluding hospital practitioners and doctors with paragraph 94 appointments (clinical assistants).

Mr. Bowis

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of plastic surgeons per 1,000 people in the United Kingdom and the comparable figure for France, West Germany, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Mrs. Currie

The number of consultant plastic surgeons per 1,000 people in the United Kingdom at 30 September 1986 was 0.002. Comparable figures for other countries are not available.