§ Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors were employed in hospitals(a) at the latest available date (b) five years ago; and to what extent the change in numbers is accounted for by reductions in junior doctor's hours. [3277]
§ Mr. MaloneInformation on the number of hospital doctors is published in the Department of Health's Statistical Bulletin "Hospital, Public Health and Community Health Service Medical and Dental Staff in England 1985 to 1995", copies of which are available in the Library. The overall increase between 1990 and 1995 was 6,760 doctors, a rise of 14 per cent. Between June 1991 and March 1996, the Government-funded centrally 1,339 extra posts for hospital doctors, including 1,125 43W consultants, to support the reductions in junior doctors' hours.