Thousands More NHS Doctors & Nurses Drive Forward Improvements In Patient Care, UK

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 17 Mar 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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There are 6,625 more frontline clinical staff working in the NHS than a year ago, the latest official statistics show.

The NHS Workforce Census 2007, published by the NHS Information Centre, shows a continued upward trend in the number of clinical staff, with 161,500 more than 10 years ago.

Compared to 2006, the Census shows:

- 2,033 more doctors. There are now 128,000 doctors in the NHS - 38,000 more than 10 years ago.

- 1,262 more nurses. There are now 400,000 qualified nurses in the NHS - 80,000 more than 10 years ago.

- 624 more midwives. The NHS is well on its way to recruiting 1,000 extra midwives by 2009. For the first time, there are more than 25,000 midwives working in the NHS.

- 252 fewer managers. This is the second successive year there has been a fall in the number of managers working in the NHS.

Health Minister Ann Keen said:

"Thanks to yet another year of record investment, we have 6,625 more clinical staff working on the frontlines of the NHS. These extra staff are delivering big improvements for patients, with excellent progress towards a maximum wait of 18 weeks for treatment by the end of the year, falling hospital infection rates and deaths from cardiovascular disease down by 40% since 1997."

Ann Keen added:

"There has been a tiny reduction of less than 1% in the overall NHS workforce. However, this should be seen in the context of a 26% increase in the number of staff since 1997 - 272,000 more than a decade ago.

"Following a period of unprecedented growth in the NHS workforce, our focus has now shifted from increasing capacity to improving quality. What matters to patients is that the right staff are in place to deliver personalised services to the highest standard.

"Of course, where more staff are needed we will recruit them. Just last month we committed to recruiting 4,000 extra midwives by 2012 to keep pace with a rising birth rate and ensure the best possible care for mothers and their babies."

The NHS Workforce Census 2007 can be found here.

Department of Health