To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many interventional radiologists work in each strategic health authority area; and whether his Department has a target for the preferred number of interventional radiologists per head of population in the NHS. (309977)

Interventional radiologists (IR) are captured within the clinical radiology specialty in the NHS Workforce Census. IR are not separately identifiable within these figures as shown in the following table.

There is currently no specific target, however, international radiology has been identified as a key priority for medical workforce planning and plans are in place for it to become a recognised sub-speciality.

Workforce planning, including training, in the national health service is managed and led at a local level by the strategic health authorities taking into account the national policy direction.

Local NHS organisations are best placed to determine the levels of service and resource required to meet the health needs of the local population.