HC Deb 03 July 2003 vol 408 cc476-7W
Dr. Gibson

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new staff have been employed as a result of the Cancer Plan. [120612]

Miss Melanie Johnson

Additional funding was made available in the NHS Cancer Plan, rising to an extra £570 million a year by 2003–04. Some of this is being used to make substantial investment in staff, with a wide range of new appointments that are contributing to the delivery of cancer care.

The table shows good progress in increasing the number of doctors working in cancer services. This increase means the national health service is on track to hit the target set out in the Cancer Plan of nearly 1,000 extra cancer consultants by 2006. The table also shows that we are making good progress with increasing the number of radiographers working in the NHS. The overall increase of 50,000 nurses working in the NHS will also enable the recruitment of additional cancer-site specific nurse specialists, chemotherapy nurses, district nurses, palliative care nurse specialists and additional nurses on wards caring for cancer patients.

Hospital medical consultants within selected specialties relating to cancer
Numbers (headcount)
England 1999 Sept 2002 Change
All Cancer specialties, of which: 3,362 3,913 551
Clinical oncology 305 315 10
Clinical radiology 1,507 1,702 195
Haematology 510 588 78
Histopathology 836 968 132
Medical oncology 110 185 75
Palliative medicine 94 155 61
Radiographers, of which:
Diagnostic 10,839 11,489 650
Therapeutic 1,491 1,542 51

Source:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

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