UK
NHS recruited an extra 8,000 more Doctors in 2004
By DOH, UK
Mar 23, 2005, 18:36

Latest figures show that in 2004 the NHS recruited an extra 8,000 (7,200 Whole Time Equivalent posts - WTE) more doctors, 11,200 (10,500 WTE) more nurses and 3,000 (2,600 WTE) more allied health professionals.

Health Secretary John Reid said:

"These figures show a year-on-year growth in the number of doctors, nurses and other frontline healthcare staff working in the NHS. This is having a huge impact on patients, helping them to access treatment faster and get better care.

"We now have more doctors, nurses, scientists and therapists than ever before - 117,000 (WTE 109,200) doctors, 397,500 (WTE 315,400) nurses and 128,900 (WTE 108,600) scientists and other therapists.

"The NHS is the world's biggest 'army for good', employing more than 1.33 million people who make a difference every day by delivering high quality treatment, care, advice and support to patients.

"Eighty-four per cent of those staff are directly involved in patient care which is increasingly being provided in new and better ways. Patients are not only benefiting from better care but also faster access to that care.

"It is these people who are responsible for the real changes we are seeing in patient care - the falling waiting times, the improvement in survival rates for cancer and coronary heart disease and the changing role of the NHS from being a sickness service to a 'wellness' service through community based initiatives such as our stop smoking services.

Other highlights of the census show that between September 2003 and September 2004:

* There were more doctors in training to be GPs than ever before
* 1,900 more consultants - this is the biggest increase ever
* 1,200 more GPs - this is the biggest increase ever
* 900 more midwives - this is the biggest increase ever

These figures mean that since 1997 there are:

* 9,200 more consultants working in the NHS - (42.7 per cent increase)
* 78,700 more qualified nurses working in the NHS - (24.7 per cent increase)
* 32,600 more qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff working in the NHS (33.8 per cent increase)

Sir Nigel Crisp, NHS Chief Executive said:

"New ways of working are bringing real benefits for patients.

"For example, there are now more than 102,000 (77,500 WTE) nurses working in the community and general practice helping to deliver more treatment, advice and support to patients either in their homes or as close to them as possible, which has helped to put patient needs at the centre of the NHS.

"Increasingly we are seeing nurses and other healthcare staff taking on new roles and responsibilities such nurse prescribers who can prescribe drugs for a range of conditions like diabetes and asthma.

"However we realise that some areas of the NHS still struggles with shortages which is why we are constantly trying not only to retain our staff but to make the NHS a more attractive employer through improved pay and conditions, flexible working and increased access to childcare."

Mr Reid also welcomed the Healthcare Commission's staff survey, published today.

He said:

"As well as having more staff than ever before the Healthcare Commission survey shows that the vast majority of NHS staff are happy at work.

"The Government is committed to helping the NHS become an employer of choice and improving working conditions in order to recruit the best staff.

"The survey shows the improvements that have been made since last year, including more NHS staff receiving training, more staff benefiting from flexible working and fewer staff working extra hours due to work pressures. Fewer staff also reported suffering from stress.

"Although there's clearly more to do, I'm pleased that the Healthcare Commission recognises that progress has been made in these areas."

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