HC Deb 23 July 2004 vol 424 cc934-5W
Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many(a) whole-time equivalent and (b) headcount paediatric consultant specialists in kidney disease are working in the NHS; and how many vacant posts there are; [185411]

(2) how many trainee doctors specialising in paediatrics have been working in the NHS in each of the last seven years, broken down by gender; [185412]

(3) how many and what percentage of paediatric trainee doctors have gone on to take up consultancy posts in each of the last seven years. [185413]

Mr. Hutton

As at 31 December 2003, there were 1,589 whole-time equivalent and 1,753 headcount paediatric consultants working in the national health service. Data held by the Department do not distinguish how many of these consultants specialise in kidney disease.

As at 31 March, the three-month vacancy number for paediatric consultant s was 43. The three-month vacancy rate was 2.7 per cent. This is lower than the average consultant three-month vacancy rate across all specialties, which was 4.7 per cent.

Table 1 shows the number of doctors in training in the paediatric specialty since 1997, broken down by gender.

Table 2 shows the cumulative total and percentage by year of first appearance as a consultant in the medical and dental workforce census.

Table 2: Cumulative total and percentage by year of first appearance as consultant in medical and dental workforce census
As at September
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Expected CCST date financial year1 No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %
1997–98 cohort2 42 41 63 61 76 74 80 78 84 82 86 83
1998–99 cohort 21 14 54 36 77 52 90 60 103 69
1999–2000 cohort 46 26 82 46 105 59 116 65
2000–01 cohort 59 30 100 51 119 60
2001–02 cohort 77 32 115 48
2002–03 cohort 50 21
1 Expected certificate of completion of specialist training (CCST) date can change. If data have changed and moved later it is possible for the same trainee to appear under multiple years. Totals of each year appearing should therefore not be taken.
2 All cohorts consist of specialist registrars with an expected CCST date of within one year of the date of the planning extract collection.
Note: Paediatrics is the paediatrics group, which covers paediatrics, paediatric neurology, paediatric cardiology.
Source: Medical and dental workforce census and planning extract.