§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there were for consultants by specialty in each year since 1990. [17862]
§ Mr. MaloneInformation on consultant vacancies by specialty for 1990 to 1994 is shown in the table. For information for 1995, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 4 February 1997,Official Report,columns 595–96.Information for 1996 is not yet available.
Data on vacant posts are difficult to interpret and do not necessarily imply a shortage. The census is a snapshot on 30 September each year. Some vacancies will be wholly or partly filled by locums. For others, national health service trusts may find other ways to provide the service than re-advertising. The numbers give no indication of how long the post has been empty. Some of these would have been in the process of being filled.
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Vacant consultant posts by specialty in England as at 30 September 1990 to 1994 (whole time equivalent rounded to the nearest ten) Specialty 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 Accident and emergency 20 10 20 20 10 Anaesthetics 90 50 90 80 100 Audiological medicine — — 0 — 0 Blood transfusion 0 0 10 0 0 Cardio-thoracic surgery 0 0 0 0 10 Cardiology 10 0 0 10 10 Chemical pathology 10 10 0 0 — Child and adolescent psychiatry 30 20 30 20 30 Clinical physiology 0 — 0 — — Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics — — 0 — — Clinical cytogenetics — — 0 — — Clinical immunology and allergy — — 0 0 0 Clinical neurological physiology 0 — 0 — — Clinical genetics 0 0 0 — — Dermatology 10 10 0 0 10 Endocrinology — 0 0 0 0 Forensic psychiatry 0 0 10 10 10 Gastroenterology — 0 0 0 0 General pathology — — — — — General surgery 30 20 20 20 20 General medicine 20 10 10 20 10 Genito-urinary medicine 10 10 10 10 0 Geriatric medicine 10 0 10 10 20 Haematology 10 10 10 10 10 Histopathology 20 10 10 0 10 Immuno-pathology 0 0 0 — 0 Infectious diseases 0 — 0 0 — Medical microbiology 10 0 0 0 0 Medical oncology — — 0 0 — Metal handicap 30 20 10 0 10 Mental illness 130 80 90 80 100 Nephrology 0 0 0 0 0 Neurology 10 0 0 0 0 Neuropathology — — 0 0 — Neurosurgery 0 0 0 0 0 Nuclear medicine — — 0 0 — Obstetrics and Gynaecology 20 20 20 20 20 Occupational health 0 0 0 0 0 Old age psychiatry 20 20 20 10 20 Opthalmology 30 20 10 20 30 Otolaryngology 20 10 10 10 10 Paediatric neurology — — 0 — 0 Paediatric surgery — 0 0 0 0 Paediatrics 30 30 50 40 20 Palliative medicine 0 0 0 — 0 Plastic surgery 10 0 0 0 0 Psychotherapy 0 0 0 0 0 Radiology 30 20 20 20 20 Radiotherapy 10 10 0 0 0 Rehabilitation 0 0 0 0 0 Rheumatology 10 10 0 0 0 Thoracic medicine 0 0 0 0 0 Traumatic and orthopaedic surgery 30 20 30 30 30 Urology 10 20 10 10 10 Virology — — 0 — — Other 0 10 0 0 0 Total of all specialties 700 470 540 480 570 Source:
The medical and dental workforce census 30 September 1990 to 1994.
Notes:
1. Figures shown are for England as at 30 September of each year.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
3. 0 = 5 or less; — = zero.
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