Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of breast radiologists employed by NHS trusts.

Dr Daniel Poulter

The latest monthly workforce statistics, published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), provides information on the numbers of clinical radiologists working in the National Health Service in England, however it is not possible to break this data down into sub specialties.

There are currently 3,789 (full-time equivalent) doctors with a specialty of clinical radiology working in the NHS, an increase of 15% (497 full-time equivalent) since May 2010.

It is for local employers to determine the workforce based on the needs of their local community and they are best placed to do so.

Health Education England’s Workforce plan confirms an increase in Clinical Radiology training posts by 16 in 2015-16. This continues to build on the 14 additional posts commissioned in 2014-15.

The Society of Radiographers may be able to supply more information on radiographers. Their website is available at: www.sor.org/