§ Laura MoffattTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he will take to increase genito-urinary consultant numbers in line with Royal College of Physicians, Consultant Physicians Working for Patients, recommendations. [40871]
§ Mr. HuttonThe NHS Plan sets a target of 7,500 additional consultants by 2004 (England), over the 1999 baseline, needed to deliver the service targets set out in the Plan. There are currently around 275 consultants in genito-urinary medicine in England. We anticipate that by 2004 there will be an increase of around 35 trained specialists in genito-urinary medicine, and a further 25 by 2009. We have also agreed an increase in specialist registrar numbers of up to 16 by 2004.
We continually review future requirements for trained specialists as part of the NHS's new multi-disciplinary workforce planning processes. These will look at the requirements for doctors alongside other staff focusing on the potential for new ways of working and developing new roles. As part of this process we discuss with the Royal College of Physicians their view of workforce needs in genito-urinary medicine.
765WProjections of need will change as modernisation of the workforce progresses. Supply projections will also change as numbers in training are varied in response to identified need.