Asked by: Baroness Gerada (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of fully-qualified equivalent NHS doctors employed in England were (1) fully qualified general practitioners, (2) consultants in hospital and community health services, and (3) specialty and associate specialists doctors in hospital and community health services, in each year since 2015.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the full time equivalent (FTE) number of doctors working across general practice, primary care networks, and hospital and community health services in England, and the proportion of these who were fully qualified general practitioners, consultants, or specialty and associate specialist doctors:
| Total doctors employed across general practice, primary care networks, National Health Service provider trusts and other core organisations | Percentage of total which are general practitioners | Percentage of total which are consultants | Percentage of total which are specialty and associate specialist doctors |
September 2015 | 138,890 | 21% | 31% | 6% |
September 2016 | 141,337 | 21% | 31% | 6% |
September 2017 | 143,639 | 20% | 32% | 6% |
September 2018 | 145,615 | 20% | 32% | 6% |
September 2019 | 150,808 | 19% | 32% | 6% |
September 2020 | 157,550 | 18% | 32% | 6% |
September 2021 | 163,814 | 17% | 32% | 6% |
September 2022 | 168,331 | 16% | 32% | 6% |
September 2023 | 176,084 | 16% | 32% | 6% |
September 2024 | 184,883 | 15% | 31% | 7% |
September 2025 | 192,732 | 15% | 31% | 7% |
Sources: NHS Workforce Statistics, General Practice Workforce Statistics, and Primary Care Network Workforce Statistics, all published by NHS England.