§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list each medical speciality and number of current vacancies for qualified doctors in it. [21864]
§ Mr. MilburnThe latest available information is shown in the table. Vacant medical posts by specialty in England on 30 September 1996:
532W
Number All Specialties: Total 1,410 General Medicine Group 280 General Medicine 90 Cardiovascular Disease 20 Diabetes and Endocrinology 10 Gastroenterology 0 Renal Disease 10 Palliative Medicine 10 Respiratory Medicine 10 Geriatric Medicine 50 Audiological Medicine 0 Clinical Neurophysiology 0 Clinical Genetics 0 Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 0 Rehabilitation Medicine 10 Dermatology 10 Medical Oncology 0 Venereology 10 Communicable Diseases 0 Neurology 20 Occupational Medicine 0 Rheumatology 20 Other 0 Paediatrics (Inc Paediatric neurology) 70 Paediatrics 70 Paediatric Neurology 0 Accident and Emergency 70
Number Surgical Group 280 General Surgery 80 Thoracic Surgery 0 Otolaryngology 20 Neurological Surgery 10 Ophthalmology 40 Paediatric Surgery 0 Plastic Surgery 10 Orthopaedic Surgery 90 Urology 30 Obstetrics and Gynaecology 40 Anaesthetics 180 Diagnostic Radiology Group 60 Diagnostic Radiology 60 Nuclear Medicine 0 Radiotherapy 20 Pathology Group 60 General Pathology 0 Chemical Pathology 10 Blood Transfusion 0 Haematology 10 Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology 20 Immunology 0 Medical Microbiology 10 Virology 0 Neuropathology 0 Psychiatry Group 360 Psychiatry 210 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 40 Forensic Psychiatry 20 Learning Disabilities 40 Old Age Psychiatry 50 Psychotherapy 10 Source:
The Medical and Dental Workforce Census 30 September 1996.
Notes:
1. All figures are whole-time equivalents, rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not agree due to rounding. "O" denotes less than 10.
2. Includes consultant, staff grade, specialist registrar, senior registrar, registrar and senior house officer.
Data on vacant posts are difficult to interpret and do not necessarily imply a shortage. The census is a snap of 30 September each year. Some vacancies will be wholly or partly filled by locums. For others National Health Service trusts may find alternative ways to provide the service rather than re-advertising. The numbers give no indication of how long the post has been empty; some of these will be in the process of being filled.