§ Mr. KnoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors were employed in National Health Service hospitals in each year since 1959, expressed in terms of whole-time equivalents.
§ Mr. MellorThe information requested is set out in the following table:
Hospital medical stuff in England and Wales1 Year Whole time equivalent 1959 16,033 1960 16,584 1961 16,932 1962 17,557 1963 17,971 1964 18,346 1965 18,905 1966 19,541 1967 20,395 1968 21,232 1969 22,001 1970 22,585 1971 23,806 1972 25,043 1973 26,151 1974 26,999 1975 28,441 1976 29,251 1977 30,047 1978 30,998 1979 32,142 1980 33,257 1981 34,047 1982 34,538 1983 35,261 1984 35,430 1985 35,940 1986 36,317 1987 36,298 1 Information is given for England and Wales because it is not available for England only prior to 1971. Notes:
1. Figures include permanent paid and honorary staff but exclude locums and staff in the special hospitals.
2. To maintain comparability to data hospital practitioners and clinical assistants (para 94) have been excluded throughout.