§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the recommended number of hospital respiratory specialist physicians is(a) per head of population and (b) per NHS trust; [45742]
785W(2) how many hospital respiratory specialist physicians posts are unfilled, broken down by NHS trust; [45744]
(3) how many hospital respiratory specialist physicians are in post, broken down by (a) coverage per head of the population and (b) NHS trust. [45743]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department does not set quotas for the numbers of hospital respiratory specialist physicians per head of population or by individual NHS Trust. We continually review future requirements for trained specialists as part of the NHS's new multi-disciplinary workforce planning processes. These look at the national requirements for doctors alongside other staff focusing on the potential for new ways of working and developing new roles.
As at September 2001 (latest figures available), there were 1.9 respiratory specialist physicians, consultants and doctors in training, per 100,000 of the population (England). Numbers of respiratory specialist physicians by NHS Trust are shown in the table, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Respiratory Medicine is not one of the specific specialties included in the NHS Vacancy Survey 2001 and information about the number of unfilled respiratory specialist physicians posts is not available centrally.