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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the numbers of specialists in dermatology; [196239] (2) what the vacancy rates for dermatology specialists were in each strategic health authority in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [196247] Mr. Hutton: As at June 2004, there were 425 consultant dermatologists working in the national health service in England. This is an increase of 114, or 37 per cent., since September 1997. Between September 1997 and 2003, the number of dermatologists in the registrar group increased by 42, or 37 per cent. We are also increasing training capacity within the specialty. Between 2002-03 and 2004-05, central funding has been distributed to support the implementation of 27 additional specialist registrar (SpR) posts in dermatology. All the posts have now been implemented. Trusts have also had the opportunity to create up to 40 locally funded SpR training opportunities and the latest survey suggests 23 are due to be implemented so far. The table shows the three-month vacancy rates for consultant dermatologists by strategic health authority (SHA), as at March 2004. The national three-month vacancy rate for dermatology has decreased from 6.1 per cent. in March 2003 to 4.7 per cent. in March 2004. This comes at the same time as increases in the dermatology workforce. Three month vacancy rate and number for consultants in dermatology by SHA for England: March 2004 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 3 month vacancy rate 3 month vacancy number Staff in post Staff in post (percentage) (whole-time equivalent) (headcount) England 4.7 18 373 427 Avon, Gloucestershire and 0.0 0 17 19 Wiltshire Bedfordshire and 9.7 1 9 12 Hertfordshire Birmingham and the Black 0.0 0 17 18 Country Cheshire and Merseyside 6.0 1 16 17 County Durham and Tees 15.1 2 11 12 Valley Cumbria and Lancashire 8.4 1 11 12 Dorset and Somerset 1-- 0 6 7 Essex 1-- 0 7 8 Greater Manchester 10.8 2 17 19 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 0.0 0 12 16 Kent and Medway 19.7 2 8 9 Leicestershire, 0.0 0 12 12 Northamptonshire and Rutland Norfolk, Suffolk and 4.9 1 20 21 Cambridgeshire North and East Yorkshire and 1-- 0 9 9 Northern Lincolnshire North Central London 0.0 0 15 17 North East London 0.0 0 15 18 North West London 11.2 2 16 23 Northumberland, Tyne and 1-- 1 8 9 Wear Shropshire and Staffordshire 1-- 0 9 10 South East London 0.0 0 23 28 South West London 1-- 0 9 10 South West Peninsula 0.0 0 11 11 South Yorkshire 6.5 1 14 16 Special Health Authorities 2-- 0 0 0 and other statutory bodies Surrey and Sussex 0.0 0 19 21 Thames Valley 10.9 2 16 22 Trent 0.0 0 16 17 West Midlands South 0.0 0 11 12 West Yorkshire 9.1 2 20 22 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Where the sum of the staff in post and number of vacancies is less then ten. 2 Where the sum of the staff in post and number of vacancies is zero. Notes: 1. Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents). 2. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post. 3. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number. 4. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

426 c640-2W; 196239;196247

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Consultants Hospitals Health authorities Staff Vacancies Dermatology

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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