Bowel Cancer: Screening Mr. Lansley ‘ To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of (a) radiologists, (b) pathologists, (c) surgeons and (d) specialist nurses to support national bowel cancer screening programme objectives and delivery of the 18 week pathway. Ann Keen Service transformation, supported by the significant increase in the work force since 1997, new ways of working and productivity gains, will enable 18 weeks to be delivered and sustained. Expansion of medical and nurse training has supported the planned expansion of the national health service work force which was part of the NHS Plan. The number of consultants working in the relevant three specialties in 1997 and 2006 and the percentage change is shown in the following table: ----------------------------------- |Number (headcount) and percentage| ----------------------------------- | |1997|2006|Change 1997-2006|Percentage change 1997-2006| ----------------------------------- |Pathology group |2,884|3,956|1,072|37.2| ----------------------------------- |Of which: ||||| ----------------------------------- |Consultant |1,838|2,416|578|31.4| ----------------------------------- | ||||| ----------------------------------- |Radiology group |2,064|3,204|1,140|55.2| ----------------------------------- |Of which: ||||| ----------------------------------- |Consultant |1,473|2,105|632|42.9| ----------------------------------- | ||||| ----------------------------------- |Surgical group |13,394|19,425|6,031|45.0| ----------------------------------- |Of which: ||||| ----------------------------------- |Consultant |4,094|6,129|2,035|49.7| ----------------------------------- Data on specialist nurses to support the national bowel screening programme are not collected centrally and commissioning of specialist nurses is driven by the local health care needs.