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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trained cardiologists are practising in England; how many cardiology students began training in each year since 1997; how many cardiologists qualified in each year since 1997; and what assessment he has made of the optimum number of cardiologists required by the National Health Service. [138919] Mr. Hutton: As at 30 June 2003, there were 618 consultants in cardiology (trained cardiologists) working in the National Health Service in England. As undergraduates, medical students do not undertake training in specific specialities, their medical training is of a general nature at this stage of their course. Specialty specific training begins in hospital at postgraduate level. Information on the number of doctors beginning and completing specialty training each year is not collected centrally. The number of postgraduate doctors in training and consultants in cardiology in each year since 1997 is shown in the table. Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Staff Consultants and Doctors in training in cardiology England, as at 30 September Numbers (headcount) _________________________________________________________________________________________________. March June 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2003 Consultants 405 458 467 546 576 609 607 618 Doctors in training 540 607 589 612 609 700 n/a n/a of whom Senior House Officer 192 218 210 223 210 255 n/a n/a House Officer 32 38 40 45 54 53 n/a n/a Registrar Group 316 351 339 344 345 392 n/a n/a _________________________________________________________________________________________________. n/a = not available Source: Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census Doctors in training data was not collected in the March or June 2003 mini census The coronary heart disease care group workforce team advises on workforce requirements to deliver the CHD national service framework and NHS Plan. It is required to make annual recommendations to the workforce numbers advisory board. In its 2003 report, it recommended that there was a need to continue to substantially increase the number of cardiologists. Future growth requirements are being refined and will depend on growth in activity demands and on changes in clinical practice and ways of working.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

138919; 413 c1364-6W;413 c1360-2W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Consultants Doctors Heart diseases NHS Staff Training Cardiovascular system

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk