§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Heath if he will give for each year since 1959 the number of doctors employed by the National Health Service, with each year also expressed as a percentage change of the previous year.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyComparable data are not available prior to 1971. Informtion from 1971 is as shown in the table. Prior to 1975 comparable community health service medical staff figures are not available and are therefore not included.
Year All doctors1 Percentage change 1971 44,950 1972 46,498 3.4 1973 48,110 3.5 1974 49,107 2.1 1975 55,629 1976 57,167 2.8 1977 58,502 2.3 1978 60,001 2.6 1979 61,554 2.6 1980 63,130 2.6 1981 64,612 2.3 1982 65,591 1.5 1983 66,910 2.0 1984 67,282 0.6 1985 68,194 1.4 1986 68,839 0.9 1987 69,532 1.0 1988 270,995 2.1 1Includes permanent paid and honorary staff; excludes locum staff, hospital practitioners and clinical assistants in the hospital and community health services. Includes general medical practitioners 2 Includes 129 additional posts not shown in the main census, which have been returned late by regions.