HC Deb 15 December 2003 vol 415 cc781-3W
Tim Loughton:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many consultant paediatricians are currently employed in the NHS on a (a) part-time and (b) full-time basis; [143046]

Table 1: Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff Consultants in the paediatric group of specialities—England
Number (headcount)
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 March 2003 June 2003
Paediatrics Group 1,227 1,299 1,355 1,443 1,507 1,695 1,768 1,801
Of which:
Paediatric cardiology 16 17 18 23 29 64 58 63
Paediatrics 1,211 1,282 1,337 1,420 1,478 1,631 1,710 1,738

Note:

All data as at 30 September except 2003 which is at 31 March and 30 June.

Source:

Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Between September 1997 and June 2003, there has been a 47 per cent. increase in the number of consultants in the paediatrics group.

Table 2: Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS): Consultants within the paediatrics group of specialties by nature of contract
Number (headcount)
As at June 2003 All contracts Full-time1 Part-time Honorary
Paediatric Group 1,801 1,360 290 151
Of which:
Paediatric cardiology 63 45 7 11
Paediatrics 1,738 1,315 283 140

1 Consists of staff on whole time and maximum part time contracts

Note:

In these figures, honorary doctors are staff who provide clinical services to an NHS organisation whilst not having a paid substantive or locum contract with that organisation.

Source:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

The age profiles of consultants in the paediatric group working in the NHS, as at June 2003, are shown in table 3.

Table 3: Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff Consultants in the paediatric group of specialities
Number (headcount)
Of which:
England at 30 June 2003 All ages 30–34 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65–69 70 and over
Paediatrics Group 1,801 18 280 430 412 322 238 80 20 1
Of which:
Paediatric cardiology 63 0 10 18 14 7 7 5 2 0
Paediatrics 1,738 18 270 412 398 315 231 75 18 1

Source:

Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census

(2) how many new consultant paediatricians have been appointed in each of the last six years; [143047]

(3) what the age profile is of consultant paediatricians currently working in the NHS. [143049]

Mr. Hutton:

The Department does not collect data on the number of newly appointed consultant paediatricians. Workforce data are collected through the annual Department of Health medical workforce census. The census is a snapshot of data as at 30 September in the appropriate year. The information in table 1 shows the net increases in the number of paediatric consultants since 1997.

Table 2 shows how many consultant paediatricians were employed in the national health service on (a) part-time and (b) whole-time basis as at 30 June 2003.