HC Deb 08 September 2003 vol 410 cc176-7W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in consultant recruitment in the last 12 months. [127479]

Mr. Hutton

As at 31 March 2003 there were 28,024 consultants working in the national health service. This represents an increase of 1,580 or 6.0 per cent. since March 2002. Between September 1997 and March 2003 there has been a 31 per cent. increase in the number of consultants.

From March 2002 to date, 179 consultants have been recruited through the Department of Health's international recruitment campaign.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in(a) Mid-Essex Hospital NHS Trust and (b) Greater London have been waiting more than 13 weeks to see a consultant. [127484]

Mr. Hutton

The information is shown in the table.

Patients who are waiting over 13 weeks for a first consultant out-patient appointment following G(D)P written referral: Position at 31 March 2003
Organisation Number
Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 450
North West London HA 3,818
North Central London HA 5,040
North East London HA 7,860
South East London HA 4,556
South West London HA 3,056

Source:

Department of Health form QM08

Dr. Fox

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there were for consultants in the last year for which figures are available. [127374]

Mr. Hutton

The Department of Health does not collect information on individual vacancies. The national health service vacancy survey collects information on the number of posts which trusts are actively trying to fill which have been vacant for three months or more.

As at 31 March 2003, the three month vacancy rate for consultants was 4.7 per cent.