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Health Professions: Manpower

Volume 480: debated on Wednesday 8 October 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) doctors, (b) nurses, (c) consultants, (d) dentists and (e) midwives there were in each year since 1998. (221884)

The number of doctors, nurses, consultants, and midwives there were in each year since 1998 is shown in the following table.

The numbers of national health service dentists in England, as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 are available in Table 4 of the ‘NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006’. This information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This measure counted the number of NHS dentists recorded on primary care trust (PCT) lists as at 31 March each year. This report, published on 23 August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is available on-line at:

www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity.

The numbers of dentists in England with NHS activity during the years ending 31 March 2007 and 2008 are available in Table 32 of the ‘NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007-08’ report. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. Following a recent consultation exercise, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes previously published workforce figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. This revised methodology counted the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This report, published on 21 August 2008, has already been placed in the Library and is available on-line at:

www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0708.

Further work is planned over the next 12 months to determine whether the new definition used under the new dental contractual arrangements can be applied to the years under the old contractual arrangements to produce a consistent time series.

Both reports have been published by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Total number of doctors, consultants, nurses and midwives

Headcount

At 30 September

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

All doctors (excl retainers)

91,837

93,981

96,319

99,169

103,350

108,993

117,036

122,345

125,612

127,645

Of which consultants (including directors of public health)

22,324

23,321

24,401

25,782

27,070

28,750

30,650

31,993

32,874

33,674

Total qualified nursing staff

323,457

329,637

335,952

350,381

367,520

386,359

397,515

404,161

398,335

399,597

Of which registered midwife

22,793

22,776

22,548

23,027

23,208

23,922

24,822

24,784

24,430

25,069

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) NHS doctors, (b) NHS nurses, (c) NHS dentists and (d) GPs were employed in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) England in each year since 1997. (223737)

The number of doctors, nurses and general practitioners is shown in the table.

The majority of national health service dentists are self-employed.

The number of NHS dentists, as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 is available in Annex E of the “NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006”. Information is available by primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority (SHA). Equivalent information by constituency is available in Annex G of this report.

This measure counted the number of NHS dentists recorded on PCT lists as at 31 March each year. This report, published on 23 August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is also on the NHS Information Centre website at:

www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity.

The numbers of dentists with NHS activity during the years ending 31 March, 2007 and 2008 are available in Table G1 of Annex 3 of the “NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007-08” report. Information is available by PCT and SHA. Information by constituency is not available.

This measure is based on a revised methodology and is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. This measure counted the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This report, published on 21 August 2008, has already been placed in the Library and is also on the NHS Information Centre website at:

www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0708.

Both reports have been published by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

NHS hospital and community health services: qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in England, the north east strategic health authority area and each specifiedorganisation as at 30 September each specified year

Headcount

19971

1998

1999

2000

2001

20022

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

England

300,467

304,563

310,142

316,752

330,535

346,537

364,692

375,371

381,257

374,538

376,737

of which

North east strategic health authority area

17,791

18,079

18,870

19,125

20,035

20,473

20,991

22,065

22,291

22,220

22,296

of which

Total specified organisations

2,036

2,055

2,078

2,087

2,142

1,738

1,778

1,878

1,924

1,840

1,851

South Tyneside PCT

180

185

251

241

235

253

South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust

905

854

899

891

916

615

624

625

639

612

550

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

1,131

1,201

1,179

1,196

1,226

943

969

1,002

1,044

993

1,048

Notes:

1 In 1997 Gateshead Hospitals NHS Trust and Gateshead Healthcare NHS Trust merged to form Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust. 1997 figures are an aggregate of these two predecessor organisations.

2 In 2002 Mental Health Services from South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust and Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust migrated to form part of Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland Mental Health NHS Trust.

Source:

The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce census

HCHS medical and dental staff1, 2

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

England

60,230

62,140

63,994

66,067

68,484

72,168

76,400

82,951

87,043

90,243

91,790

North East SHA

3,548

3,542

3,749

3,953

4,053

4,178

4,330

4,699

4,764

4,942

5,145

of which

RR7 Gateshead Health NHS Trust

1

206

199

210

209

208

235

248

267

264

283

RM7 Gateshead Healthcare NHS Trust

31

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

RE2 Gateshead Hospitals NHS Trust

148

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

RE9 South Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust

141

131

157

176

242

218

220

231

137

145

163

5KG South Tyneside PCT

1

1

1

1

1

13

10

10

9

9

9

1 Excludes medical hospital practitioners and medical clinical assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals.

2 Data as at 30 September each year.

1 Denotes data not available.

Source:

The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Medical & Dental Workforce census

All practitioners (excluding GP retainers) for selected organisations, 1997 to 2007

Numbers (headcount)

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

England

29,389

29,697

29,987

30,252

30,685

31,182

32,593

34,085

35,302

35,369

35,855

North East

1,485

1,506

1,520

1,536

1,603

1,645

1,741

1,825

1,873

1,995

1,945

5KG South Tyneside PCT

1

1

1

1

87

87

91

93

104

108

105

1 Denotes data not applicable.

Notes:

1. Data as at 1 October 1997-1999, 30 September 2000 to 2007.

2. Prior to 2006 figures for the north east were arrived at by combining County Durham and Tees Valley SHA and Northumberland Tyne and Wear SHA. From 2006 onwards north east SHA has been used.

Source:

The NHS Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics