Written question asked by David Clelland (Labour) on Tuesday, 12 May 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 14 May 2009. It was answered by Ann Keen (Labour) on Friday, 15 May 2009 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Radiography: Manpower

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to combat the shortage of qualified sonographers.

Answer: The national health service is best placed to determine the workforce it needs to deliver high quality service for patients. The Department is committed to supporting the NHS to do this by ensuring information such as supply and demand of sonographers is well understood throughout the NHS, and that workforce planning and education and training decisions reflect this.For example, the Department and NHS Workforce Review Team work to produce a list of shortage occupations for the Migration Advisory Committee. Registered therapeutic radiographers and sonographers are included in the list, which comprises skilled occupations where there are shortages that can sensibly be filled by enabling employers to recruit migrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).The NHS Next Stage Review document "A High Quality Workforce" outlined improvements for the workforce planning system, including a Centre for Workforce Intelligence and Professional Advisory Boards to provide expert research, analysis and co-ordinated clinical advice to the NHS. A copy has been placed in the Library.This will help to ensure that the NHS has the right workforce with the right skills to deliver high quality care for all patients.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 492 c1082-3W; 275884
Session: 2008-09
Related items: Deposited Paper DEP2009-1439
Friday, 15 May 2009
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects: Staff Radiology
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk