Information on the number of cancer consultants employed in the national health service between 1987 and 2005 is shown in the table.
Information prior to 1987 was not collected centrally.
Number (headcount) of which: England at 30 September each year All six main cancer Specialties Clinical oncology Clinical radiology Haematology Histopathology Medical oncology Palliative medicine 1987 2,300 210 1,034 406 616 34 1— 1988 2,347 217 1,073 400 625 32 1— 1989 2,462 215 1,130 418 651 34 14 1990 2,461 207 1,138 410 654 36 15 1991 2,525 219 1,185 402 657 46 17 1992 2,578 220 1,204 422 662 47 23 1993 2,629 226 1,229 424 663 59 28 1994 2,713 248 1,265 412 664 81 43 1995 2,877 252 1,349 444 693 89 50 1996 3,001 265 1,389 457 747 86 57 1997 3,155 287 1,442 488 769 89 80 1998 3,273 299 1,481 478 828 102 85 1999 3,362 305 1,507 510 836 110 94 2000 3,528 307 1,585 527 865 133 111 2001 3,721 333 1,645 556 915 147 125 2002 3,913 315 1,702 588 968 185 155 2003 4,169 347 1,810 609 1,021 202 180 2004 4,381 392 1,876 637 1,083 201 192 2005 4,593 438 2,014 648 1,094 215 184 1 denotes zero Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census