§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many newly qualified doctors have joined the NHS in each year since 1979; and how many hours newly qualified doctors work each week on average. [13267]
§ Mr. MaloneInformation on the numbers of newly qualified doctors joining the NHS is not held centrally. However, the normal route is for them to become pre-registration house officers. Figures for these are shown in the table.
Number of pre-registration house officers in England as at 30 September each year since 1979 Year Number 1979 2,610 1980 2,650 1981 2,720 1982 2,710 1983 2,830 1984 2,770 1985 2,840 1986 2,810 1987 2,790 1988 2,860 1989 2,940 1990 3,020 1991 3,060 1992 3,040 1993 3,090 1994 3,020 Normally, the duration of the PRHO training period is one year.
Figures are rounded to the nearest '10'.
Again, figures for the average number of hours worked each week by junior doctors, whether or not newly qualified, are not held centrally. However, returns from regional task forces on junior doctors' hours indicate that under 1 per cent. of PRHOs were contracted for hours above the December 1994 limits and under 2 per cent. in total remain above the target to be reached by December 1996. These limits are set out in the "New Deal on Junior Doctors' Hours," a copy of which is placed in the Library.